ROCHESTER, New York - Propelled by freshman forward Tobias Fladeby's first collegiate goal and 27 saves from freshman goaltender Stefano Durante, the American International College ice hockey team downed the Rochester Institute of Technology in overtime in Atlantic Hockey Conference play on Saturday, November 4.

FAST FACTS:
Final score: AIC 3, RIT 2 (OT)
Records: AIC moves to 2-6-2 and 1-3-2 in Atlantic Hockey. RIT is now 3-3-1 and 3-1-0 in conference play.
Location: Gene Polisseni Center (Rochester, New York)

STATS LEADERS:
AIC:
Tobias Fladeby (game-winning goal)
Hugo Reinhardt (one goal)
Janis Jaks (one goal)
Stefano Durante (27 saves)

RIT:
Logan Drackett (25 saves)
Gabe Valenzuela (two goals)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• RIT jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 8:21 mark of the first period off a goal from Gabe Valenzuela.
• During a 4-on-4, sophomore alternate captain Hugo Reinhardt secured his own rebound to tie the game up at 1-1 at 5:23 of the second period.
• Sophomore defenseman Janis Jaks put AIC into the lead at 2:24 of the third off an assist from sophomore forward Martin Mellberg.
• With AIC on the penalty kill, RIT tied things up at 2-2 when Valenzuela notched his second goal of the game with 3:38 remaining, pushing the game to overtime.
• AIC went on the power play 1:15 into the overtime frame, and Fladeby recorded his first collegiate goal at 2:57 off an initial shot from freshman defenseman Brennan Kapcheck to secure the 3-2 victory.

BUZZWORTHY:

• Saturday's game marked Durante's first collegiate start after he previously came into two games in relief, including Friday night's contest against RIT. On Saturday, he made 27 saves en route to his first collegiate win. In more than 120 minutes of play this year, he has only allowed three goals.
• Kapcheck has now recorded eight points in the past eight games, leading the Yellow Jackets with that point total.
• This win marks AIC's first conference victory of the year.
• Both of AIC's wins this season have come in overtime - the other came over then-No. 11 Penn State on October 20 by an identical 3-2 score.

PLAYERS' CORNER:

• "It was an unbelievable feeling," Durante said of his first collegiate start. "The first period I was a little nervous there, legs were shaking a bit, but once I got that first shot everything just settled down and my head was clear. It's good to get it out of the way, but now they say the second one's the even harder one. We'll get prepared this week and get prepared for Sacred Heart next week."
• "I saw Kappy [Kapcheck] getting the puck and then driving it to the net," Fladeby said. "I was trying to get some traffic there, and the rebound bounced right in front of my stick so I just turned around and tried to fire it in the net, and luckily it went in. Of course it's nice to get a goal and especially the first one, but the most important thing is we got two points on the road."

NEXT UP:

• AIC returns home to the MassMutual Center for a two-game Atlantic Hockey series against Sacred Heart University.
• The first game will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 10, followed by an afternoon contest at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 11.

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.