SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College ice hockey team fell to Niagara University, 3-1, at the MassMutual Center in Atlantic Hockey Conference play on Friday, November 24.

FAST FACTS:
Final score: AIC 1, Niagara 3
Records: AIC moves to 4-9-2 overall and 3-6-2 in Atlantic Hockey play. Niagara is 7-4-1 and 6-1-1 in league play.
Where: MassMutual Center

STATS LEADERS:
AIC:
Joel Kocur (one goal, three shots on goal)

Stefano Durante (21 saves)

Niagara:
Eric Cooley (one goal, assist, six shots on goal)

Ben Sokay (one goal, four shots)

Derian Plouffe (one goal)

Brian Wilson (27 saves)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• At the 11:49 mark of the first period, Niagara's Ben Sokay earned his first goal of the season with an assists from Justin Kendall and James Roll. The Purple Eagles edged the Yellow Jackets 5-4 in shots in the first period.
• The second period featured more scoring opportunities for both teams as they managed to produce a combined 27 shots in the period, but no one was able to find the net. Niagara outshot AIC, 14-13.
• Derian Plouffe put the Purple Eagles up 2-0 with 11:03 remaining in the third period. Assists came from Jack Zielinski and Eric Cooley.
• Just 1:08 following Niagara's goal, AIC cut into the lead with a goal from sophomore forward Joel Kocur, his second of the year, when he scooped up a rebound off an initial shot from sophomore forward Blake Christensen.
• As the Yellow Jackets pulled freshman goaltender Stefano Durante out of the contest with 1:15 left in the game, Cooley put the game away with an empty-net goal to give the Purple Eagles the 3-1 victory.

BUZZWORTHY:

• Despite the loss, AIC was able to outshoot the Purple Eagles 28-24.
• Kocur's goal was his first goal in five games. His last goal came in a 5-3 loss to RIT on November 3.

COACH'S CORNER:

• "I thought we competed pretty hard, I thought our forecheck was good as it gets all year," said AIC head coach Eric Lang. "They (Niagara) do a good job of defending and not giving up second chances, and that's what we were missing today, just some second-chance opportunities."

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets return to the MassMutual Center on Saturday, November 25 as they look to get revenge on Niagara University with the puck set to drop at 7 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC ice hockey team, follow @AIC_Hockey on Twitter and Instagram, and like AIC Hockey on Facebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow @AICAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and like AIC Yellow Jackets on Facebook.