University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Hockey Falls to AIC 4-1
12/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 4, 2007) - The University of Connecticut men's hockey team dropped its last game before holiday break 4-1 to AIC Tuesday night. Sean Erickson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored for UConn. The Huskies fall to 4-9-1 overall and 3-7-1 in the Atlantic Hockey Association. The Yellow Jackets are 3-8-2 and 3-6-1.
Beau Erickson (Hinton, Iowa) was on top of his game early in the first period, making two saves on open shots from the top of the key in the first six minutes, while also helping the Huskies kill off an early penalty. B.J. Bayers had the first good shot of the period with five minutes to go, when he got open in the middle of the Yellow Jacket zone, but AIC goaltender Dan Ramirez was able to snag the high shot out of the air. Neither team was able to establish a quality scoring chance after that, and the period ended tied at zero. AIC out shot Connecticut 7-5 in the first.
The Yellow Jackets scored early in the second when Greg Genovese tipped a T.J. Smith shot past Erickson high to take the 1-0 lead. AIC quickly made to 2-0 when Erickson stopped Mike McMillan shot in front of the net, but the rebound bounced right back to him he was able to score the goal. The Huskies got on the board on the power play, 8:31 into the period when Sean Erickson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) took a Matt Pedemonti (Enfield, Conn.) pass to the middle of the zone and rifled a hard shot past Ramirez to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 2-1. Pedemonti nearly tied the score about five minutes later, but was unable to redirect a Matt Miller (Bayonne, N.J.) shot into the left corner of the net. UConn received a five minute power play with 3:30 to go after Keith Rodger took a game misconduct penalty for hitting from behind. The Huskies nearly cashed in with five seconds to go when Brendan Olinyk (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.) got an open shot on net from the right circle, but Ramirez was able to glove it and the second ended with the Yellow Jackets up 2-1. The Huskies out shot AIC 11-10 during the period.
UConn was unable to score during the remainder of the power play at the beginning of the third period. AIC made it 3-1 after the puck to a funny bounce around the boards right to Mark Pavil. His shot bounced off Beau Erickson and into the back of the net. Michael Coppola had a great opportunity for the Huskies with 5:30 to go. He intercepted a pass shorthanded and his breakaway shot was knocked away by Ramirez. Beau Erickson then made the save of the game 28 seconds later when he dove across the net to catch the puck in midair to rob McMillan of his second goal of the game. Connecticut pulled Beau Erickson with 1:08 to go, and AIC was able to score off the face-off from their own zone, as it traveled all the way into the Husky net and wrapped up the victory for the Yellow Jackets.
For the game, AIC out shot the Huskies 25-20. Alec Kirschner (Dix Hills, N.Y.) led the team with three shots. Beau Erickson made 21 saves in net.
The exam and holiday break is upon the Huskies as they do not play for the next 25 days. When they return, it will be time for the 15th annual Toyota UConn Classic on December 29 and 30 at the Freitas Ice Forum. On the 29th, Ferris State will face Brown at 4:00 p.m. followed by the host Huskies taking on AHA rival Army in a conference game at 7:15 p.m. The next night will feature a consolation game at 4:00 p.m. and the championship game at 7:15 p.m.
