Stella's early goal not enough for Ice Hockey at Sacred Heart

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut - The American International College ice hockey team fell 3-1 at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, February 3 in Atlantic Hockey Association play.

AIC is now 14-13-1 overall with a 10-9-1-1-1-1 AHA mark.

The game started off as well as it could for the Yellow Jackets as the visiting squad scored on the first shift. Austen Long dug a puck out of the left corner and Hunter Jones flipped it into the slot for Evan Stella to one-time home his third of the year just 0:37 in; for Jones, it was his first collegiate point.

However, the Pioneers bounced back with Dante Fantauzzi tying the game at the 14:00 mark on a delayed penalty with a point shot that deflected off of a defender in front.

The Pioneers did not convert the power play, but early in the second struck twice in rapid succession. Hunter Sansbury and TJ Walsh scored at 1:11 and 1:55 respectively, giving Sacred Heart a 3-1 lead.

From there, the home team buckled down and held off AIC. Justin Robbins stopped each of the final 32 shots he faced in the game to earn the win.

Alexandros Aslanidis did well in AIC's net, making 22 saves.

AIC will next head west to Niagara University for two, beginning on Friday, February 9.