Ice hockey snaps skid with win over Holy Cross

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College ice hockey team snapped a losing streak by defeating The College of the Holy Cross 4-1 in Atlantic Hockey Association play on Tuesday, November 15.

The Yellow Jackets rise to 6-6-2 overall with the win and 4-5-0-0-0-0 in AHA play.

The Crusaders struck first in the game, with team captain Grayson Constable firing home a shot off of a Devin Phillips pass into the slot at 5:15 of the first period.

Holy Cross nearly made it 2-0 on a play at the netmouth that Jarrett Fiske just brushed aside, and after Evan Stella poked the rebound to Brett Rylance, he flipped the puck out of the zone. Josh Barnes skated onto it, pushing it past a defender and then breaking in before tucking the puck under the crossbar at 16:54 to tie the game with his fourth of the campaign.

AIC took the momentum into the second period and took the lead. Alexander Malinowski's rush up the left wing was followed by Brett Rylance and Blake Bennett, and Malinowski was able to get the puck in the slot to Rylance. He then fed Bennett at the right side of the net, and the reigning AHA Tournament MVP whipped home his 10th of the season at 5:35.

The Yellow Jackets then caught the Crusaders in a line change, as Matt Rickard threw a pass up the left wing that sent Barnes in to lead a three-on-none rush. He took it to the net himself and was able to beat Thomas Gale for his fifth of the season at 16:45, neatly pushing the puck over the pad of the netminder.

In the third, AIC's power play was given a significant opportunity with three Holy Cross penalties, including a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct, in a span of 25 seconds. On the ensuing 5-on-3, Julius Janhonen went left-to-right across the slot for Rickard, who fired back to the left at the front of the net for Dustin Manz. His one-timer hit the twine at 10:18, and his fifth of the year effectively iced the game.

Fiske was strong in cage for the Yellow Jackets, stopping 19 of 20 Crusader bids. His record improves to 2-2-2 with the victory.

The Yellow Jackets now turn their attention to a rematch of the 2022 AHA Championship, as the Air Force Academy comes to Springfield for a two-game set. The first matchup is slated for 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, November 19. Tickets are available at the MassMutual Center box office or by visiting www.aictix.com.