SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A two-period stalemate ended under six minutes into the third as AIC beat Holy Cross at the MassMutual Center on Saturday night.
Jared Pike scored the game’s only goal, drawing an assist from Ryan Polin, at the 5:50 mark of the third period. It broke a two-period, scoreless tie that saw Crusaders goaltender Paul Berrafato make 24-plus saves against the Yellow Jacket attack. Berrafato stopped 13 shots in the first period and 11 in the second before giving up the goal in the third.
AIC’s defense, meanwhile, continued a trend of stymying opponents on defense. The Yellow Jackets allowed only 12 shots through two periods as goaltender Stefano Durante saved all 23 that he saw in 60 minutes of hockey.
The win catapulted AIC into the race for home ice, vaulting them one point ahead of Niagara and Bentley for eighth place. The Yellow Jackets will look to clinch home ice for the first time in program history when they play Holy Cross again next week before playing Bentley on the season’s last night.
