Ice Hockey takes 1-0 series lead on Holy Cross in AHA Quarterfinal
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Holy Cross (13-19-3) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
American Int'l (18-12-7) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College ice hockey team defeated The College of the Holy Cross 3-1 in Game One of the Atlantic Hockey Association Quarterfinal on Friday, March 3.
AIC is now 18-12-7 on the year and leads the best-of-three series 1-0.
It was a tight-checking game early on and neither team generated much offense in the first period; AIC led in shots 9-7 at the break.
In the second, the Yellow Jackets began to tilt the ice in their favor, and broke the scoreless deadlock. On the rush at the tail end of a power play, Nicholas Cardelli carried into the zone and passed to Dustin Manz, who threw the puck at the net as the Yellow Jackets crashed in. Cardelli jammed at the puck before Timofei Khokhlachev knocked it in for his seventh of the season at 2:37 of the period.
Cardelli was involved in the second goal for AIC as well. Midway through the period, he won a board battle in the attacking end and deflected the puck into the slot for Oscar Geschwind, who in turn set up Jordan Biro for a one-timer with a drop pass. Biro hit the target, netting his 11th of the season at 9:09.
The Crusaders put on enormous pressure in the third period, firing 23 shots on target, but Jarrett Fiske made several spectacular saves to keep the net clean. It was only in the final minute that the visiting side, with its net empty for a sixth attacker, did break through, as Liam McKlinskey deflected a Matt Shatsky point shot home at 19:15, but AIC snuffed out any hope of a comeback as Manz won the next draw to Brett Callahan, and Callahan was able to get it back to him at the blueline to nail the empty net at 19:23 for his 10th of the season.
Fiske totaled 35 saves to earn his 10th win of his career and first in the postseason.
The two teams continue the series at the MassMutual Center on Saturday, March 4 at 1:05 p.m. Tickets are available at www.aictix.com, and there will be $2 domestic beer, fountain soda, and popcorn specials through the end of the first period.