HAMDEN, Connecticut The American International College ice hockey team fell 3-2 to No. 9 Quinnipiac University in the season opener for both teams.

FAST FACTS:
SCORE:Quinnipiac 3, AIC 2
RECORDS:The Bobcats begin the year at 1-0-0, while AIC starts at 0-1-0.
LOCATION:People's United Center, Hamden, Connecticut

STATS:
Quinnipiac:
Ethan Leyh: One goal
Nick Jermain: One goal
Peter DiLiberatore: One goal
Keith Petruzelli: Win (1-0-0), 25 saves

AIC:
Elijiah Barriga: One goal
Brennan Kapcheck: One assist
Patrik Demel: Two assists
Blake Christensen: One goal
Tobias Fladeby: One assist
Zackarias Skog: Loss (0-1-0), 28 saves in 57:36

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Quinnipiac struck first on a power play, as Ethan Leyh finished a two-on-one with a shot into the left corner of the net at 5:58.
• The Yellow Jackets picked up the intensity in the middle portion of the frame and their efforts paid off; senior Patrik Demel dished a cross pass that junior Brennan Kapcheck kept in at the blue line and fired toward the cage; the puck was deflected by sophomore Elijiah Barriga and then off of a Quinnipiac defender into the net for his first of the season at 13:05.
• The Bobcats regained the lead late in the first, capitalizing on a three-on-two after a neutral-zone turnover as Nick Jermain picked the corner of the net at 19:42 to send the home team to the locker room up 2-1.
• A series of penalties put the Bobcats on a 4-on-3 power play early in the second and they converted, as Peter DiLiberatore one-timed a shot through traffic from the point at 4:00 to give the hosts a 3-1 edge. That goal proved to be the extent of the scoring in the frame despite chances at both ends, including a late bid by senior Hugo Reinhardt that Bobcats netminder Keith Petruzelli stopped.
• In the third, AIC got back within one as junior Tobias Fladeby set up Demel for a one-timer; Petruzelli made the save, but senior Blake Christensen was able to wrap in the rebound for his first of the year at 7:13.
• The Yellow Jackets applied tremendous pressure late, firing four shots on target in the final minute with Skog on the bench for a sixth attacker, but Petruzelli held the offense off to give Quinnipiac the 3-2 win.

DEMEL DOUBLE:

• Demel registered his seventh career multipoint game with his assists on both goals.
• He had three two-assist nights in the 2018-19 season.

NEXT UP:

• The two teams complete the series on Saturday, October 12 at the MassMutual Center in AIC's home opener; puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

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