SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts The No. 20 American International College ice hockey team needed all 21 saves it saw from redshirt freshman Jake Kucharski as the Yellow Jackets shut out The College of the Holy Cross 1-0 in an Atlantic Hockey Conference battle on Sunday, January 17.

FAST FACTS:
SCORE: No. 20 AIC 1, Holy Cross 0
RECORDS: AIC improves to 10-3-0 on the season and remains 8-1-1-1 in Atlantic Hockey; Holy Cross falls to 4-5-0 on the year with a 1-2-2-2 AHC mark.
LOCATION: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts

STATS:
Holy Cross:
Erik Gordon: Loss (4-3-0), 30 saves in 59:10

AIC:
Julius Janhonen: One goal
Zak Galambos: One assist
Nico Somerville: One assist
Jake Kucharski: Win (3-0-0), shutout (1), 21 saves in 59:24


HOW IT HAPPENED:

• It was a penalty-filled first period, and AIC capitalized with the sixth attacker on a delayed penalty as freshman Nico Somerville and redshirt sophomore Zak Galambos passed across the blueline before Somerville found rookie Julius Janhonen open in the slot for a one-timer that hit the net at 18:41 for his second of the season.
• Both teams took penalties in the second as well and had chances, but neither side could convert as Kucharski made 12 stops in the frame.
• In the third, the penalties continued to pile up but the goals did not; AIC had a two-minute five-on-three that failed to convert as Erik Gordon shined with 13 saves for the Crusaders over the final 20.
• Holy Cross had a late power play chance to tie the game, but could not generate much, only managing one shot on goal over the final three minutes despite the extra skater both from the penalty and then later from pulling Gordon for a sixth attacker, and AIC hung on for the 1-0 win.

CRAZY EIGHTS:

• Both teams were 0-for-8 on the power play.
• Nearly every possible manpower situation occurred in the game; AIC had a full two-minute five-on-three, and the Crusaders had a 23-second four-on-three power play due to the pileup of infractions.

ZERO MISSION:

• Kucharski earned his first collegiate shutout with the victory.
• AIC's most recent previous shutout came against Holy Cross in the final home game of the 2019-20 season; Zackarias Skog '20 made 20 stops in the 2-0 win on February 22, 2020.

NEXT UP:

• AIC is slated to host Sacred Heart University on Tuesday, January 26 for a 5:05 p.m. AHC matchup.
• Should any changes to the schedule occur, they will be announced on aicyellowjackets.com as well as all of the team's social media channels.

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.