SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - A furious third period rally fell just short as the American International College ice hockey team fell 5-4 to The College of the Holy Cross in an Atlantic Hockey Association battle on Sunday, January 30.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: Holy Cross 5, RV AIC 4
Records: The Yellow Jackets fall to 14-10-1 with a 13-5-0-0-0-2 AHA mark; the Crusaders rise to 7-18-2 with a 5-11-2-0-1-0 AHA record
Location: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
KEY STATS:
Holy Cross:
Jack Ricketts: Two goals, one assist, two blocked shots
Matt Guerra: One goal, one assist
Nick Hale: Two assists, three blocked shots
Lucas Throne: Two assists
Ryan Leibold: One goal
Alex Peterson: One goal
Matt Radomsky: Win (5-10-2), 23 saves
AIC:
Blake Bennett: One goal, one assist, +2 rating
Matt Rickard: One goal
Justin Young: One goal
Chris Dodero: One goal
Alec Calvaruso: No decision (4-3-0), 11 saves on 15 shots in 20:00
Ryan McInchak: Loss (0-1-0), 13 saves on 14 shots in 33:04
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- AIC came out of the gate with a strong push and converted a turnover just 5:30 in as Chris Dodero swiped the puck in the slot in Holy Cross's end and wired home his seventh of the year.
- The Crusaders went on a run of four goals, stunning the Yellow Jackets; Matt Guerra tied the game with a great effort at 10:24, and Alex Peterson pushed the Crusaders ahead at 15:17. Holy Cross then drew a two-man advantage and converted both chances, with Ryan Leibold and Jack Ricketts striking just 47 seconds apart to push the lead to 4-1.
- A sluggish second period followed, and the Crusaders added to the advantage, as Ricketts hit the net again at 15:22.
- In the third, the Yellow Jackets played a high-risk, high-reward option, pulling Ryan McInchak for a sixth attacker with nearly 10 minutes of regulation. The decision paid off almost immediately as Jake Stella won a puck battle on the boards and Zak Galambos sent a d-to-d pass to Matt Rickard, who snapped home his first collegiate goal at 12:35.
- Not content with one, AIC kept the pressure up and pulled within a pair as Blake Bennett put back the rebound of a Brian Kramer shot for his seventh of the year at 17:07. On the play, Luka Maver earned an assist, winning the battle for the puck to find Kramer open at the midpoint.
- A penalty against the Crusaders allowed AIC to pull within one, as a cross-pass from Chris Theodore to Bennett was fired back toward the left post and tipped by Justin Young for his seventh of the year at 19:43.1.
- AIC earned one last attacking zone draw, but could not get the puck to the net, as the Crusaders held on for the 5-4 win.
END OF A STREAK:
- The win snapped AIC's 11-game unbeaten stretch that had survived 64 days.
- Of the big picture, Head Coach Eric Lang said "This game can humble you very quickly if you are not ready to play with the effort necessary to win a DI college hockey game. It's a great reminder for our guys just how hard it is. It was two months since our guys felt that feeling; a great run, and we will need to start another."
- Speaking on the third period explosion specifically, Lang noted "Our guys' belief never was fractured today. We simply ran out of time. We have that type of gear in us. This is something we can lean on moving forward."
NEXT UP:
- AIC enters the stretch run with a two-game series at RIT beginning Friday, February 4 at 7:05 p.m.
