AIC YELLOW JACKETS (0-1-0, 0-0-0 AHC)
vs.
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (2-1-2, 0-0-0 HEA)



Friday, October 21, 7:00 p.m.
XL Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Hartford, Conn.

Live Stats | Video ($10) | AIC Roster | CON Roster

LEADERS:

AIC:
Goals:Dominik Florian 2, Blake Christensen 1, Janis Jaks 1
Assists: Six tied with 1
Points: Dominik Florian 2, Eight tied with 1
Blocked Shots: Carson Grolla 2, Nicolas Luka 2, Hugo Reinhardt 2
Goalkeepers:
Alex Murray: 1 GP, 1 GS, 0-1-0, 5.07 GAA, .848 SV% (28/33), 0 ShO
PP: 16.7% (1/6) PK: 87.5% (7/8)

CONNECTICUT:
Goals: Tage Thompson 4, Spencer Naas 3, Evan Richardson 3
Assists: Maxim Letunov 5, Max Kalter 3,KasperiOjantakanen3
Points: Tage Thompson 6, Maxim Letunov 5, Evan Richardson 5
Blocked Shots: Johnny Austin 11, Joseph Masonius 9, Two tied with 7
Goalkeepers:
Rob Nichols: 3 GP, 3 GS, 2-0-1, 1.30 GAA, .944 SV% (67/71), 2 ShO
Adam Huska: 2 GP, 2 GS, 0-1-1, 2.88 GAA, .925 SV% (74/80), 0 ShO
PP: 15.4% (4/26) PK: 92.3% (24/26)

The American International College ice hockey team takes its shortest road trip of the season when itpays a visit to Hartford and the Connecticut Huskies for a non-conference tilt.

LAST TIME OUT: The Yellow Jackets battled back from 1-0, 2-1, and 4-2 deficits but ultimately fell 5-4 to Union College in front of a crowd of 1,204 at the MassMutual Center in the season opener on October 14. All four goals were scored by freshmen, as right wing Dominik Florian tallied in the first and second period, and defenseman Janis Jaks and center Blake Christensen netted third-period tallies to draw the game even with just over five minutes remaining in regulation. Junior goalkeeper Alex Murray made 28 saves in the defeat, while AIC fired 26 shots on target. The Yellow Jackets took ten penalties in the contest.

Connecticut is coming off of a mid-week loss at Nutmeg State rival Quinnipiac, suffering a 5-2 setback in Hamden on Wednesday. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Huskies drew within one on an early second period power play goal off of the stick of left wing Spencer Naas at 1:44. However, the Bobcats responded just shy of two minutes later to re-establish their two goal edge. Connecticut again cut the deficit with a goal from left wing Karl El-Mir at the 9:17 mark, only to see Quinnipiac tally one of itsown under two minutes later once more. The Bobcats would add one more before the period ended and hold on for the 5-2 final. Rookie Adam Huska made 38 saves in the loss, while former Air Force goalkeeper Chris Truehl stopped 29 chances for the Bobcats to pick up the win.

LAST TIME THEY MET: The Huskies and Yellow Jackets last squared off when UConn was a member of Atlantic Hockey, where the teams battled to a 1-1 draw on January 26, 2013. Steve Mele '13 had AIC's goal in the contest, with assists to Brandon Lubin '16 and Nathan Sliwinski '15. The Huskies evened the score at 11:35 of the third period on a power play goal. Ben Meisner '13 made 39 saves in the sixty-five minutes of play, while the Yellow Jackets put 33 shots on goal.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION: Connecticut comes into the contest against AIC with a 2-1-2 record, having swept Alabama-Huntsville 6-0 and 4-0 before tying Colgate 4-4 and RIT 1-1 to start the season. Sophomore Tage Thompson, a St. Louis Blues draft pick, has four goals and six points to lead the team, while classmate Maxim Letunov, a San Jose Sharks prospect, has five helpers to top the squad. Senior Evan Richardson has three goals and two assists for five points, second on the team along with Letunov. The Huskies feature six NHL draft picks overall, also including Huska, a New York Rangers pick. Rob Nichols has taken the bulk of the time in goal, however, and is 2-0-1 with a 1.30 GAA and .944 save percentage, turning aside 67 of 71 shots in three starts.

ROOKIES DOMINATE DUTCHMEN IN DEBUTS: Dominik Florian scored twice against the Dutchmen in the team's season opener. The last player to do so is current junior Johno May, who scored the opening goal and added an assist against the Dutchmen on October 10, 2014. Prior to that, the last players who had two points in a season opener as freshman were Adam Pleskach '13 and Richard Leitner '13, who each had a goal and an assist, also against Union, on October 23, 2009. Pleskach went on to become AIC's all-time leading goal and point scorer in the program's Division I era.

HARTFORD HAS IT: While the Yellow Jackets have played games in Connecticut before, Friday's contest against the Huskies marks the first time ever that AIC hockey will visit the XL Center in Hartford. The arena, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is currently home to the American Hockey League's Hartford Wolf Pack and was formerly the home of the NHL's Hartford Whalers. In addition, the arena also serves as home court for UConn men's and women's basketball. AIC alum Jim Calhoun '68 coached the Huskies men to three national titles while playing in the building.

NEXT UP: AIC plays host to Sacred Heart in the Yellow Jackets' Atlantic Hockey opener on Sunday. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield.