Ice hockey wins shootout against No. 13 Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College ice hockey team won a shootout, 1-0, over the No. 13 University of Massachusetts-Amherst following a 2-2 tie after 65 minutes of play on Saturday, October 8.

AIC moves to 0-1-2 on the season with the result.

Though the game's first high-quality scoring chance came just 18 seconds in – a Cal Kiefiuk attempt that Jarrett Fiske pushed aside with his legpad – the scoring did not begin until the last minutes of the middle frame. A breakout pass from Matt Rickard sent Austen Long and Blake Bennett in on a two-on-two, and Bennett was able to ultimately use Long as a decoy before snapping a shot over the shoulder of Luke Pavicich at 18:01 for his first of the season.

The action continued to flow, with saves by both goalkeepers, well into the third before AIC scored following a timeout. Dustin Manz won a defensive zone draw, and he headed toward the Minutemen zone as Luis Lindner carried the puck out of AIC's end. Lindner returned the puck to Manz as he crossed the blue line from the right, and Manz zipped to the corner before crossing the puck to the netfront, where Oscar Geschwind's diving tip-in found the five-hole of Pavicich for his first in an AIC uniform at 7:05.

In the blink of an eye, the Minutemen erased the lead. Josh Nodler was the beneficiary of a turnover right at the netfront, cashing in at 12:53, and Reed Lebster was able to force a puck in at the side of the net just 1:11 later to tie the game.

Both teams continued to generate chances, and both keepers held firm from there. Regulation ended with the score still 2-2, and despite more opportunities in overtime, the full 65 went without a winner.

In the shootout, Scott Morrow fired first for the Minutemen but rang the left post. Both Alexander Malinowski for AIC and Tyson Dyck for Massachusetts were denied by the goalkeepers. Jordan Biro then broke through, cutting across the net from right to left to get to his forehand. That put the game on Lucas Mercuri's stick, but Fiske shut him down, giving AIC the victory in the shootout.

The Yellow Jackets turn their attention to Atlantic Hockey Association play as they head to Niagara for a two-game set beginning Friday, October 14.