Ice hockey strikes early, often to beat Sacred Heart

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut – The American International College ice hockey team exacted revenge on Sacred Heart University, winning a 4-1 decision away from its Atlantic Hockey Association foe at the Martire Family Arena on Saturday, February 4.

AIC improves to 14-11-5 overall and 11-7-2-1-2-0 in the AHA.

The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the early stages of the game. On the power play, a bid by Blake Bennett was stopped but bounced to Jordan Biro in the left circle. He sent the puck back to the point for a Brian Kramer one-timer that Julius Janhonen tipped home for his seventh of the year at 8:31.

On the very next shift, AIC won the draw back into its own end. Brett Callahan bumped the puck up the right wing wall to Austen Long, who made an outlet pass to send Brett Rylance in on a two-on-one with Timofei Khokhlachev. Rylance baited the defender into diving to cut off the pass and then whipped a shot five-hole on Luke Lush for his third of the year at 8:44, just 13 seconds after the opening tally.

AIC was not done in the period, however, and a unit of rookies made it 3-0. A Callahan shot from the right point deflected to Khokhlachev, who fired it back toward the netfront. The puck bounced off of John Lundy's stick and right to Casey McDonald, who roofed his second of the year at 16:25.

In the second, AIC put the dagger in. After a Bennett shot bounced to Janhonen, he skated around the zone, dancing past defenders as he cut from the middle to the right circle and then back across the netfront. Drawing everyone, including the goalkeeper, to him, he then slid the puck back across the crease, where McDonald was waiting to tap it into the yawning cage at 12:40.

Sacred Heart did crack the shutout with a goal at 19:55 of the frame on a Hunter Sansbury shot, but that would be the only time the Pioneers beat Jarrett Fiske legally. The Pioneers put a puck in the net at 3:22 of the third, but the goal was disallowed after a challenge that showed the play clearly offside. Fiske was perfect otherwise, making 15 of his 29 saves in the final frame to preserve the team's 14th and his seventh win of the season.

AIC returns to the MassMutual Center to open another home-and-home series Wednesday, February 8 at 7:05 p.m. against Bentley University.  For tickets to the game, visit www.aictix.com, or visit the MassMutual Center Box Office.