Hard Fought: AIC loses in a heartbreaker against Sacred Heart University

Story By: Matthew Wiernasz

Photo Courtesy of the AIC Yellow Jackets

SPRINGFIELD, MA-  After a rough first period, the AIC Yellow Jackets fought back in the second and the third period but would lose to the Sacred Heart University Pioneers 4-2 on Thursday night at the MassMutual Center.

Sacred Heart got on the board 1:35 into the opening period as Neil Shea took a shot from the left side of the AIC zone and past through Yellow Jackets goaltender Alexandros Aslanidis to make it 1-0.  Austin Magena extended the lead for the Pioneers as Shea set up Magena on a play as he made it 2-0 with 11:48 remaining in the first period.

Aslanidis night would come to an end as Toby Kobryn would come into the game.

The Yellow Jackets responded in the second period on a 5-on-3 power play as Jordan Biro made the pass to Blake Bennett and Bennett shot the one-timer past through Pioneers goaltender Luke Lush to make it 2-1 with 17:24 remaining in the second period. It’s Bennett’s league-leading 17th goal of the season

Austen Long tied the game for the Yellow Jackets when he used the backhand to move the puck under the crossbar to score to even the game at 2-2 will 11:30 remaining in regulation.

The Pioneers however would respond with 7:43 remaining in regulation as Daniel Ebrahim scored the wraparound goal to make the score 3-2.  Braeden Tuck added an empty-net goal with 1:06 remaining in regulation to make it 4-2.

The home-and-home series will conclude tonight between these two teams at Martire Family Arena in Fairfield, CT.  The puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.

The next home game for the Yellow Jackets will be this upcoming Wednesday, February 8 against the Bentley University Falcons at the MassMutual Center.  The puck drop is at 7:05 p.m. The last home game of the regular season for the Yellow Jackets will be on Friday, February 24 against the Sacred Heart University Pioneers with the game beginning at 7:05 p.m.