SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College ice hockey bounced back with a win against Niagara University in Atlantic Hockey Conference action on Saturday, November 25.

FAST FACTS:
Final score: AIC 4, Niagara 1
Records: AIC improves to 5-9-2 overall and 4-6-2 in Atlantic Hockey; Niagara moves to 7-5-1 overall and 6-2-1 in conference play.
Location: MassMutual Center

STATS LEADERS:
AIC:
Alex Murray (19 saves, one goal allowed)
Brennan Kapcheck (one goal, one assist)
Shawn McBride (game-winning goal)
Jared Pike (two goals)

Niagara:
Brian Wilson (23 saves)
Tanner Lomsnes (one goal)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Niagara opened the scoring in the first period on a power-play goal from Tanner Lomsnes - his 10^th of the year - at the 8:31 mark.
• AIC was able to tie the game up on a shorthanded tally from freshman defenseman Brennan Kapcheck halfway through the second period.
• Fueled in party by a huge pair of saves from senior goaltender Alex Murray with about 13 minutes to go in the game, AIC took the lead and never looked back at 12:42 of the third off a goal from junior alternate captain Shawn McBride.
• Sophomore forward Jared Pike scored a pair of empty netters in the final minute and a half to push AIC's lead to 4-1.

BUZZWORTHY:

• Murray earned his first victory of the year as his success against the Purple Eagles continued. He now has a career record of 6-3-1 against Niagara.
• McBride now leads the team in goals with five.
• This is the second multi-goal game of Pike's career, with the other also coming against Niagara on January 20, 2017.

COACH'S CORNER:

• "Off to a slow start, Niagara came out and forechecked really hard," said AIC ice hockey head coach Eric Lang. "We had a tough time breaking the puck out. We made a couple adjustments after the first. Then we settled in to our game, and at the end of the day, our guys competed their butts off and played together. That's really the difference. At the end of the day, we're splitting hairs from top to bottom in this league, and it's just consistently working hard. I told these guys after this game it's hard to win. It'd be a lot easier if the other team weren't trying to do the same."

PLAYERS' CORNER:

• "We were in our own end and I'm not sure how the puck popped out, but my two linemates, Blake Christensen and Dominik Florian, they had a 2-on-1," McBride said. "They had backcheckers coming off the ice and I wasn't as fresh as I'd liked to be, so they kind of beat me coming up the ice, but I got a bounce off Blake's play he made on the net. I just tried to direct a backhander near the net and hopefully nobody would swat it away, and it worked out for me."
• "I knew it was going to be a tough game, they've been doing well this year," Murray said. "I just wanted to give my team a chance. I've had success in the past, so glad to keep it going."

NEXT UP:

• AIC will play a single game against Bentley University on Friday, December 1 at the MassMutual Center. Puck drop is set for 7:05 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.