Biro nets two, but RIT edges Ice Hockey in AHA Championship

ROCHESTER, New York - The American International College ice hockey team put up a valiant effort, but came just short, falling 5-2 to the top-seeded and No. 18 Rochester Institute of Technology in the Atlantic Hockey Association Championship Game on Saturday, March 23.

AIC ends the 2023-24 campaign at 20-16-4. 

The Yellow Jackets struck first as Austen Long sprang Jordan Biro on a breakaway, with the senior tucking his sixth of the year in the five-hole at 4:06.

RIT then flipped the lead with two goals in 4:10; Dimitri Mikrogiannakis fired a point shot that deflected in at 11:56, and Elijah Gonsalves slapped home a rebound at 16:06.

AIC refused to go to the intermission quietly, and the persistence paid off. A Julius Janhonen pass back to the midpoint for a Brian Kramer one-timer was tipped in by Biro at 18:59 for his second of the game and seventh of the year.

In the second, the Tigers regained the lead, as Matthew Wilde scored at 1:48. They nearly doubled that lead on a two-on-none breakaway, but Nils Wallstrom slid across the crease to nab the chance with his pad.

Unfortunately, despite several strong chances throughout the rest of the game, AIC did not score again. RIT found the empty net twice at the end for the 5-2 final.

Biro and Nico Somerville were both selected to the AHA All-Tournament Team for their efforts throughout the postseason.

As a squad, the team concludes having reached the 20-win mark for the fourth time in the program's Division I-era, all coming inside of the last five full seasons. AIC has been in the AHA Championship Game four of the past five seasons that it has been held.

Individually, Dustin Manz graduates having played 181 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey games, tying him with three others for ninth-most in history. Nils Wallstrom shattered AIC's rookie wins record with 19, seven more than the previous high-water mark, and tied the AHA's freshman victories mark.