BUFFALO, New York The 19th-ranked American International College ice hockey team defeated Robert Morris University 3-2 thanks to a goal by junior forward
Blake Christensen at the 1:44 mark of overtime on Friday, March 22 to advance to the Atlantic Hockey Championship Game.
FAST FACTS:
SCORE: No. 19 AIC 3, Robert Morris 2 (F/OT)
RECORDS:The Yellow Jackets rise to 21-16-1, while the Colonials end at 16-22-2
LOCATION:Harborcenter, Buffalo, New York
STATS:
No. 19 AIC:
Blake Christensen: Game-winning goal
Jan Stefka: One goal
Joel Kocur: One goal
Ryan Polin: Two assists
Chris Dodero: One assist
Shawn McBride: One assist
Zackarias Skog: Win (18-13-0), 24 saves in 61:44
Robert Morris:
Alex Tonge: One goal, one assist
Daniel Mantenuto: One goal
Nick Prkusic: One assist
Michael Louria: One assist
Francis Marotte: Loss (16-21-2), 35 saves in 61:12
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- AIC opened the scoring on a power play; on the last rush before the penalty was set to expire, senior defenseman Ryan Polin sent in freshman left wing Jan Stefka, who was able to put the puck through the pads of goalkeeper Francis Marotte at 9:47 for his first collegiate goal.
- Late in the period, the Colonials drew level, as Alex Tonge batted home a rebound at 18:02 for his 19th of the season.
- AIC regained the lead early in the second as sophomore left wing Chris Dodero and Polin found junior center Joel Kocur in front of the net; Kocur knocked the puck in for his 10th of the season at 2:56.
- The Yellow Jackets held the lead until late in regulation when the Colonials pulled Marotte for a sixth attacker and scored on a faceoff play at 18:55 of the third; Daniel Mantenuto had the finish for his eighth of the season, forcing an extra session.
- In overtime, Christensen came into the zone on the left side of a three-on-two rush, eventually playing the puck below the goal line to senior center Shawn McBride; McBride's wraparound was stuffed by Marotte, but the rebound came to Christensen, who put it back into the net for the deciding tally, his 16th of the campaign.
RAISING THE BAR AGAIN:
- Junior goalkeeper Zackarias Skog, who stopped 24 shots, extended his team-record win total to 18 with the victory.
- Christensen extended his own single-season record for points in a campaign in the Division I-era with 45.
- As a team, the squad has set a standard in the Division I-era with 124 goals in 38 games, well ahead of the 1998-99 team's 100 goals that had been the high-water mark.
- The team has obliterated the wins record as well, reaching the 21-victory plateau for the first time in the Division I-era. The 21 victories are tied for second-most in any season in the program's history, trailing just the 24 in 1988-89 and tied with the21 in 1987-88.
- If he dresses tomorrow, McBride will make his 149th appearance in an AIC uniform, tying last year's captain, Bryant Christian '18, for most games in program history.
NEXT UP:
- Niagara University is the other team standing after the semifinal following a 1-0 overtime win of its own as the Purple Eagles defeated RIT.
- AIC will face Niagara at 7:30 p.m. at the Harborcenter for the Jack Riley Memorial Trophy.
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.
