SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College ice hockey team could not overcome a slow start and fell 5-1 to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in a nonconference matchup at the MassMutual Center on Friday, October 15.

FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: UMass Amherst 5, AIC 1
RECORDS: The Minutemen improve to 1-2-0, while the Yellow Jackets drop to 0-2-0
LOCATION: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts

KEY STATS:
UMass Amherst:
Josh Lopina: One goal, one assist
Bobby Trivigno: One goal, one assist
Reed Lebster: One goal
Anthony Del Gaizo: One goal
Ty Farmer: One goal
Matt Murray: Win (1-2-0), 24 saves

AIC:
Julius Janhonen: One goal
Chris Dodero: One assist
Blake Bennett: One assist
Jake Kucharski: Loss (0-2-0), 16 saves

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Early penalties proved disastrous for the Yellow Jackets as the Minutemen notched a power play goal just 0:53 into the game by Reed Lebster and another at 4:29 by Josh Lopina.
• Minutemen captain Bobby Trivigno, who had set up Lopina's goal, made it 3-0 less than two minutes later, blasting a shot home at 6:28. Anthony Del Gaizo added a fourth at 8:37.
• AIC steadied itself thanks to a Minutemen penalty, but could not cut into the lead despite a series of chances; ultimately, AIC went into the locker room trailing 4-0.
• The Yellow Jackets were much more in control in the second and that reflected in the shot totals, as AIC outshot the visiting squad 12-6 in the frame. However, the only goal was scored by the Minutemen, as a Ty Farmer pass deflected into the net at 7:05.
• In the third, AIC's increased efforts paid off. Graduate student Chris Dodero picked up the puck along the left side of the zone and launched a pass to junior Blake Bennett. Bennett in turn fired on goal, and the rebound kicked right to sophomore Julius Janhonen driving down the slot. The second-year winger fired home his first of 2021-22 at 6:08 into the open left side of the cage.
• AIC continued to press, but could not find another goal as the game ended 5-1.

QUOTABLE:

• "It's just starting on time. Tonight we had a slow start, and then one thing leads to anotherwe were waiting for a wake-up call to get us going and when we're playing these good teams, you can't do that," said redshirt sophomore Jake Kucharski about the team's play.
• "Obviously not the start we're looking for," Lang said of the game. "One of the things we talk about is no self-inflicted wounds, and we can't get out of the first shiftI didn't feel dominated, I didn't feel overwhelmedBut as with any team, you have to relearn; every year is its own entity and you've got to learn how to win. I told our guys, we're on page two of a 35-page book and I'm not going to hit any kind of panic button here," he added.
• Of sticking with Kucharski after the start the team had, Lang said "I want to see how he responded when it's not his nightand I couldn't be more proud of [Kucharski] and how he handled himself and how he didn't pack it in and how he did get betterout of anything, that was one of our lone bright spots tonight. We really turned a negative into a positive by staying with him, and I think we'll be better for it."

NEXT UP:

• The two teams will battle again at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 16 at 7:05 p.m.