ERIE, Pennsylvania The American International College ice hockey team could not overcome a lackluster first two periods in a 4-2 loss at Mercyhurst University in an Atlantic Hockey Conference matchup on Friday, January 25.

FAST FACTS:
SCORE:Mercyhurst 4, AIC 2
RECORDS:AIC falls back to .500 at 12-12-1 overall, and holds a record of 12-8-1 in the AHC; Mercyhurst now stands at 12-13-2, with a 10-8-1 AHC mark.
LOCATION:Mercyhurst Ice Center, Erie, Pennsylvania

STATS:
AIC:
Brennan Kapcheck: One goal
Chris Theodore: One goal
Kyle Stephan: One assist
Janis Jaks: One assist
Zackarias Skog: Loss (9-9-0), 20 saves on 23 shots in 58:08

Mercyhurst:
Joseph Duszak: Two goals
Dalton Hunter: One goal
Jonny Lazarus: Game-winning goal
Derek Barach: Three assists
James Anderson: Two assists
Stefano Cantali: Win (5-6-1), 26 saves

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Lakers came out hot, drawing the game's first power play, but junior goalkeeper Zackarias Skog turned aside three shots while his team was down a man to keep the game scoreless early.
• Mercyhurst got on the board first at 16:27, as Joseph Duszak skated along the goal line extended from the right side and snuck a shot behind Skog and under the crossbar for his 12th of the season.
• The Lakers doubled the lead in the second shortly after a power play ended as a pass from behind the net from Derek Barach found Dalton Hunter all alone in front of the cage for a tap-in at 6:34; the goal was Hunter's seventh of the year.
• AIC seemed to have the game back within one at 10:50 as senior center Shawn McBride put in a rebound from a shot by junior defenseman Patrik Demel, but an official review determined that there was goalkeeper interference on the play; the pendulum of momentum swung fully towards Mercyhurst, which converted a two-on-one on the following shift as Jonny Lazarus fired home his second of the year at 11:28.
• AIC found new life late in the frame on the power play as a botched clear attempt ended up on the stick of sophomore defenseman Brennan Kapcheck in the slot; Kapcheck's wrister through traffic hit the net at 14:15 for his fourth of the year.
• In the third, the Yellow Jackets found their stride, cutting the deficit to 3-2 as junior defenseman Janis Jaks fired a shot that hit junior right wing Kyle Stephan and bounced to freshman left wing Chris Theodore for a tap-in at 7:06, his fourth of the year.
• Two shifts later, Duszak broke behind the AIC defense and was tripped, drawing a penalty shot. He made an excellent left-to-right cutback, but Skog was able to stretch out his left leg and keep the puck just beyond the goal line and his team in the game.
• The Yellow Jackets continued pounding away, firing 17 shots in the third, but could not solve Stefano Cantali again; Duszak exacted revenge for the penalty shot with an empty-net goal at 19:36 to seal the 4-2 result.

NEXT UP:

• The two teams meet for another matchup at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, January 26.
• Mercyhurst will be holding their Fighting For Folgs night to raise money for longtime equipment manager Mike Folga and the American Cancer Society.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC ice hockey team, follow@AIC_Hockeyon Twitter andInstagram, and likeAmerican International College Ice HockeyonFacebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.