SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - Behind a three-point performance from freshman defenseman Patrik Demel in his collegiate debut, the American International College ice hockey team bounced back with a 5-3 victory over the two-time defending Atlantic Hockey Conference champion Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday afternoon at the MassMutual Center.

On the heels of a 5-0 loss to the Tigers last night, AIC boosts its record to 5-12-6 with a 4-8-5 mark in AHC play. RIT falls to 10-12-1 and a 10-7-0 mark in conference.

Demel's scoring frenzy began with 1:37 to go in the first period, when he scored AIC's first of the night with a shot from the point to tie the score at one goal per team. He later added the game-winning goal and assisted on the final goal of the game to secure his three-point day.

Freshman forward Martin Mellberg also had a three-point night with three helpers. Sophomore defenseman Johnny Mueller added a pair of assists in the contest. Freshman goaltender Zackarias Skog dazzled in net with 38 saves, including 21 first-period stops, and added an assist for his first collegiate point in the effort.

AIC took their first lead of the weekend at 2-1 midway through the second off freshman forward Jared Pike's second goal of the year, and the Yellow Jackets pushed that lead to 3-1 when sophomore center Marc Dubeau scored 1:28 into the third period. Dubeau received a pass from sophomore defenseman Johnny Mueller far up the ice, and Dubeau brought up the puck himself and around a defender in the right circle to notch his first of the year.

The Tigers came back quickly thereafter, cutting the score to 3-2 34 seconds later and tying things up at the 7:22 mark of the frame. But Demel came to the rescue with a power-play tally, sending in another shot from the point to give the Yellow Jackets the 4-3 lead and control of the game.

Freshman forward Blake Christensen put the nail in the coffin with 1:50 left in regulation off another power-play tally to give the Yellow Jackets their first Atlantic Hockey win of the New Year.

The Yellow Jackets had their first game with multiple power-play goals since November 22; Demel's extra-man tally in the third period ended a stretch of five games in which AIC went without a power-play goal.

AIC returns to action quickly when it hosts Army West Point on Tuesday evening at the MassMutual Center. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.