AIC falls into 1-0 hole in Atlantic Hockey first-round series

The Yellow Jackets dropped Game 1 at RIT 2-1 to put themselves into a do-or-die situation Saturday night.

Ben Meisner's 30 saves Friday night weren't enough to keep AIC from dropping Game 1 of its first-round playoff series to RIT. Richard Orr Photography  

By DAN HICKLING

HENRIETTA, N.Y. – It was, as American International College winger Jon Puskar called it, “one of the hardest-fought games we’ve played all year.”

Unfortunately for the No. 9 Yellow Jackets, they were not rewarded for their efforts, as they suffered a 2-1 loss to eighth-seeded RIT (13-16-3) in Game 1 of their best-of-three Atlantic Hockey first-round series at Ritter Arena.

“It was a pretty good college hockey game,” AIC coach Gary Wright said. “That said, we would have liked to have come out on the better side of the score.”

The Jackets trailed 1-0 after the opening period, and 2-1 after two.

Midway through the first, AIC (12-16-6) was forced to defend a two-man power play, which the Tigers capitalized on when Chris Saracino tapped a rebound past Yellow Jackets goalie Ben Meisner.

The Yellow Jackets failed to connect on an extended 5-on-3 advantage of their own to open the second.

However, at 3:16, Puskar knotted the score on a breakaway after taking a nifty lead pass from Chris Porter.

“Porter got the puck on the sidewall and he got it up to me,” said Puskar, who had a small facial laceration glued shut after the game. “It was just a perfect pass.”

Puskar sailed in on RIT goalie Jordan Ruby (31 saves), then finished off his 12th goal with a wrister over Ruby’s right shoulder.

“Usually when I go down on a breakaway, I’ve got my mind set where I want to go,” Puskar said. “I saw a little hole and just went with it. I was fortunate enough to put it in.”

Late in the period, Alex MacMillan nearly gave AIC the lead when he rolled in alone on Ruby, but was thwarted at the right post.

Then, with 12.5 seconds remaining in the second, Josh Mitchell scored on a drive from the slot to restore the Tigers’ lead.

It was Mitchell’s first goal since RIT’s opening game.

The Yellow Jackets put on heavy pressure in the third and fired 13 shots at Ruby, but they were unable to net the tying goal.

NOTES: Yellow Jackets defenseman (and former Springfield ¤’Pic) Nick Campanale celebrated his 23rd birthday Friday ... Other than the two-man advantages each team had, there were no other penalties ... AIC finished with a 33-32 edge in shots ... Game 2 is 7 p.m. Saturday right back at Ritter.