Skip To Main Content

American International College

Skip to Navigation

Game Recap: Men's Ice Hockey |

Christensen breaks scoring record as ice hockey locks up home ice in AHC Quarterfinal with win at Canisius

BUFFALO, New York The American International College ice hockey team scored three times in the third to win 4-1 over Canisius College in Atlantic Hockey Conference play, with senior Blake Christensen setting a new program record for points in the Division I era with 117 on Friday, February 14.

FAST FACTS:
SCORE:AIC 4, Canisius 1
RECORDS:AIC improves to 17-11-1 overall and 17-5-1-0 in the AHC; Canisius falls to 8-16-5 overall with a 7-11-5-3 AHC record
LOCATION:HarborCenter, Buffalo, New York

STATS:
Canisius:
Keaton Mastrodonato: One goal
Jacob Barczewski: Loss (6-7-5), 29 saves on 32 shots in 57:47

AIC:
Blake Christensen: One goal, two assists
Hugo Reinhardt: Two goals
Tobias Fladeby: One goal, one assist
Martin Mellberg: Two assists
Janis Jaks: One assist
Patrik Demel: One assist
Chris Dodero: One assist
Stefano Durante: Win (8-3-0), 27 saves

HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • The first period saw chances at both ends, but redshirt sophomore Stefano Durante and Canisius rookie Jacob Barczewski kept the scoresheet clean through twenty minutes in spite of an extended period of 4-on-4 in the latter stages.
  • Early in the second, AIC broke the deadlock, with senior Janis Jaks winning a battle on the left wall and passing back to the point for junior Tobias Fladeby. Fladeby fired a shot that Barczewski saved, but Christensen was at the netfront to punch in the rebound for his 10th of the year at 1:10.
  • Canisius took a series of penalties through the rest of the period, but Barczewski held AIC off with 12 saves in the frame, and the home team took advantage of a shorthanded breakaway from Keaton Mastrodonato at 19:52 to tie the game heading into the third.
  • Still on the power play to start the third, the power play answered back to retake the lead quickly. Christensen walked in from the left side of the blue line and passed to senior Martin Mellberg, who immediately dished across the crease to Fladeby for a tap-in at 0:18 that was his 11th of the year.
  • Canisius had two power play opportunities to even the score again in the third, but the AIC defenses held strong, and then on AIC's next man-up opportunity, Reinhardt lit the lamp for his tenth of the year at 14:56, finishing in the slot from Christensen and Mellberg.
  • Canisius drew a late power play and pulled Barczewski in desperation with a two-goal deficit, but junior Chris Dodero was in the slot to take the puck away, finding senior Patrik Demel along the right side. Demel then sprung Reinhardt, who ended the threat with his 11th of the year at 19:38.
EIGHT IS GREAT:
  • For the first time in program history, the team has won eight games in a row.
  • The team's previous record unbeaten streak was a seven-game stretch of 4-0-3.
CHRISTENSEN STANDS ALONE:
  • With his second-period goal, Christensen passed Adam Pleskach '13 for the most points in the Division I era of program history.
  • Christensen has scored 47 goals and added 70 assists in his career, with the latter also the Division I era record.
  • Pleskach still holds the career goals record, lighting the lamp himself on 59 different occasions.
IRON MAN MOVES UP TOO:
  • Mellberg became the third Yellow Jacket this season to pass Nielsson Arcibal '12 on AIC's assists list, as his two helpers put him at 58, one more than the former captain's previous program record of 57.
  • Mellberg also jumped into sole possession of sixth in program history in points with 84.
HOME ICE ADVANTAGE:
  • AIC's win locked up a top-four spot in the 2020 Atlantic Hockey Championship Tournament.
  • The top four teams each are awarded a first-round bye and host a quarterfinal best-of-three series.
  • AIC will play a to-be-determined opponent on Friday, March 13 and Saturday March 14 at 1:05 p.m. in the first two games of a best-of-three series; if the third game is needed, it will be Sunday, March 15 at a time to be determined.
NEXT UP:
  • The Yellow Jackets and Golden Griffins finish off the season series at the HarborCenter on Saturday, February 15 at 4:05 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.
Print Friendly Version