TENDLER LIFTS AIC HOCKEY TO 3-2 OT WIN OVER UCONN
West Springfield, Mass. (February
16, 2007).- Jereme Tendler (Viceroy, SK) scored 30 seconds
into overtime as American International College rallied from a 2-0
deficit to post a 3-2 Atlantic Hockey victory over Connecticut
Friday night at the Olympia Ice Center. The win improves AIC
to 7-22-0 overall and 7-18-0 in AHA play, while the Huskies are now
13-17-1 and 13-11-1 in the league.
AIC's win gives it the most victories since the 2002-03 season and also makes the Yellow Jackets 4-4 in their last eight Atlantic Hockey contests. American International is also unbeaten in its last 10 overtime games dating back to the 2004-05 season (2-0-8).
After the Huskies got a shot on goal early in the overtime period, AIC would get the puck up to a streaking Mark Pavli (Sarnia, ON) on the left side. Pavli would fire a shot that glanced off the pipe, but Tendler was in position to put home the rebound for his 14th goal of the season. Pavli would be credited with an assist as well as Mark Fuqua (Shelby Township, MI)
Connecticut got on the board first at the 14:05 mark, when B.J. Bayers flicked a wrap-around shot passed AIC goalie Tom Fenton (Sarnia, ON). Fenton had a brilliant first-period stopping several UConn goal scoring chances en-route to 10 saves. Bayers goal was the only score of the first stanza.
The Huskies jumped on the board for the second time at the 11:30 mark in the second-period. Cole Koidahl pushed across a goal from right in front of the net after a number shots by Uconn. With just nine seconds left in the period AIC took back half of the two goal deficit when freshmen Neil Sullivan (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) scored on a slap-shot assisted by Josh Froese (Winkler, MB) and Mike Field (Marquette, MI).
AIC tied the score up at the 4:54 mark in the third-period when Bryan Jurynec (Orland Park, IL) scored after a shot from Jeason Lecours (Sherbrooke, PQ) was stopped and left in front of the net. The game remained scoreless until overtime, when Tendler punched in the winner.
Fenton recorded 29 saves and had an impressive performance for AIC while Beau Erickson turned away 22 shots for UConn.
The team's while square off tomorrow night at 7:00 in the
back-end of the weekend home-and-home series in Storrs. Conn..