HAMDEN, Connecticut - Down 5-1 early in the third, the American International College ice hockey team rattled off four straight before ultimately falling 6-5 to No. 18 Quinnipiac University on Sunday, December 29.

AIC is now 5-13-1 on the season.

The Bobcats netted the first three goals, and more specifically former College of the Holy Cross forward Jack Ricketts did, notching a pair in the first period and completing his hat trick at 2:01 of the second.

Just ten seconds later, AIC broke the shutout; off the ensuing faceoff, Hunter Longhi fired the puck in deep and Wilhelm Forsberg was able to chase it down to the left side below the goal line extended. The rookie dished the puck to the bottom of the left circle, where Dario Beljo one-timed it inside the right post for his second of the year.

The goal seemed to light a spark under the Yellow Jackets, who controlled significant portions of the period from there, but could not score again, and late in the frame, Charlie Leddy's point shot hit a body in front and deflected in at 19:33.9, restoring the Bobcats to a three-goal lead. Chris Pelosi then started the third with another Bobcats tally, striking at 1:35 to give Quinnipiac a 5-1 lead.

It would have been easy to fold. Instead, AIC dug in.

The comeback effort started with neutral zone pressure from Josh Barnes and John Lundy that led to a turnover between the Bobcats blue line and the red line; Lundy was able to send Barnes streaking in and he wristed his team-best eighth of the season past Quinnipiac's Dylan Silverstein at 3:39.

AIC drew within two goals on a two-on-one as David Posma sprung Brett Rylance, who drove to the right side of the zone before backhanding a perfect pass to Justin Mexico, who had beaten his defender down the slot. Mexico roofed the shot for his first collegiate goal, lighting the lamp at 6:29.

The Yellow Jackets drew a power play, their first of the game, and made the Bobcats pay for it. Brett Bamber fed the puck up to Barnes for a zone entry at the center of the blue line, and he fired a wrist shot that bounced to the end boards and then back into the slot. Lundy, who had driven in on the left side of the forward line, found the loose puck and fired it off of Silverstein for his third of the season right at the 10:00 mark.

The momentum was on AIC's side, and the Yellow Jackets capitalized to tie the game. Lauri Sertti pinched in to deliver a hit along the right-wing wall, forcing the puck back into the corner for Hunter Longhi. He fed it back to the point, where Beljo had taken Sertti's spot, and Beljo in turn crossed right-to-left to Brett Bamber. The junior's heavy slapshot hit the net for his second of the weekend and fourth of the year, forcing the Bobcats to call timeout and make a goalkeeper change.

Unfortunately, the magic ran out for the Yellow Jackets; Quinnipiac scored the game's final goal, a rebound putback by Jeremy Wilmer at 15:50. AIC had a few late chances, but did not net a second equalizer.

The game marked the 100th of the collegiate career of Oscar Geschwind. 

AIC will next face Stonehill College on the road on Friday, January 3. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.