SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Holy Cross men's hockey team lost to American International College, 4-1, Thursday evening in Springfield.

The first period was quiet with neither side getting on the board in the frame. Both teams had a chance on the power play, but neither converted. Matt Radomsky made multiple quality saves in the first, especially while on the kill.

Things opened up a bit in the second when AIC grabbed the first tally of the game at the 11:41 mark. The Crusaders' Pete Kessel didn't let the Yellow Jacket lead live long, tying it up with a goal of his own less than two minutes later. The home team would end the period with the lead when the Yellow Jackets' Brennan Kapcheck collected a rebound off the glass and fired it home.

AIC added two more in the third to wrap things up.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
1-0 AIC (2^nd, 11:41, EV): AIC's Patrik Demel opened the scoring a little more than halfway into the second.
1-1 HC (2^nd, 13:24, EV): Kessel kept the puck in the offensive zone off the faceoff, danced around a few defenders, and fired a backhand from the low slot to beat the Yellow Jackets' goalie.
2-1 AIC (2^nd, 18:25, EV): Initially called no goal on the ice, the refs overturned the call after review to give AIC it's second goal of the game.
3-1 AIC (3^rd, 6:45, EV): Martin Mellberg doubled the lead for the Yellow Jackets early in the third.
4-1 AIC (3^rd, 10:14, EV): Brennan Kapcheck tallied his second of the night to cap the scoring.

NOTES AND NUMBERS:

• Kessel's goal was his eighth of the year and 13^th point, adding to his already career-high totals.
• Radomsky made 31 saves for the Crusaders.
• Jack Surowiec was credited with the assist on Kessel's goal, his seventh of the season.

UP NEXT:
The Crusaders will take on the Yellow Jackets again this Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:05 p.m. in Springfield.