SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College ice hockey team returns home with a non-conference match-up against the powerful UMass-Lowell Riverhawks from Hockey East.
The Riverhawks are ranked 11th in the latest USCHO.com poll and have been as high as fifth this season. This marks the first time in the Division I era of the program that AIC has hosted a Hockey East opponent at the Olympia Ice Center.
You can either follow along with LIVE STATS or watch the game on EVERSPORT.tv!
LAST TIME OUT: AIC split a weekend set at RIT capturing a 5-4 win on Friday before seeing a comeback bid fall short in a 3-2 loss on Saturday. The victory was the first for the Jackets in the last 15 meetings with the Tigers and the first in Rochester since 2008.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Both teams have matched each other with 8 victories in the series which dates back to the 1969-70 season. However, in just one match-up since the two teams have been Division I it was UML coming out on top two years ago at Tsongas Arena, 6-1.
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL: Sophomore goaltender Alex Murray stopped 135 shots last week in three games including 96 over the weekend against RIT. His 51 saves on Saturday tied his season-high and even with allowing 11 goals on the week he put up a .925 save percentage in 182:43 of game time.
MAY DAY: Sophomore Johno May scored in each game last week for AIC including a pair of goals on Saturday against RIT. He doubled his goal output for the season after being held scoreless in his last 19 games entering last Tuesday and now has eight goals on the season which is a new career-best.
ABOUT UMass-Lowell: C.J. Smith leads the team with 30 points on 13 goals and 17 assists while Adam Chapie is hot on his heels at 29 points (13G, 16A). Defenseman Dylan Zink is coming off a hat-trick as part of a 6-3 victory over Boston University while Kevin Boyle paces all of Hockey East between the pipes with a 1.79 goals against average and is second in save percentage at .934. The Riverhawks have the best defense in the league allowing just 1.77 goals/game while their PP (21%) and PK (85%) rank fifth and third, respectively.
MIDWEEK STRUGGLES: AIC hasn't faired well in midweek clashes during the Division I era of the program as they are 10-29-6 on Tuesday's including an 0-7 mark this season following their loss to UMass last week.
MILESTONE OBTAINED: Senior David Gandara is playing in his 100th career game tonight joining two other member of the senior class who have reached this milestone. Captain Chris Porter has played in 138 games and Brandon Lubin has skated in 121 over their four years on the ice.
NEXT UP: AIC returns to Atlantic Hockey play with a home-and-home series against Holy Cross with Saturday's affair being played at home. The four seniors will be honored in a brief pregame ceremony before the opening face-off as part of Senior Day.
