Connecticut Salvages Weekend Split with 2-1 victory over AIC

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 3, 2005) – The University of Connecticut forced a split of a two-game weekend Atlantic Hockey series with American International College by posting a 2-1 win at the Olympia Ice Center Saturday night.  The Huskies snapped a three-game slide and improved to 4-7-1 and 3-6-0 in AHA play, while the Yellow Jackets, who posted a 5-2 win in Storrs, Conn. last night, are now 1-9-1 and 1-6-1 in the league.

Connecticut got on the board 3:54 into the game when Trevor Stewart (Elk River, Minn.) collected a rebound of his initial shot attempt that glanced off the pipe and put it past AIC netminder Tom Fenton (Sarnia, Ontario).  The Yellow Jackets would answer 2:54 later on a power play.  UConn goalie Brad Smith (Detroit, Mich.) went behind his net to play the puck, but Andy Walbert (Ford City, Pa.) was waiting and when Smith played the puck back, Walbert collected it and fired it into the open net for his first goal of the season.

The Huskies took a 2-1 lead 8:35 into the second period.  Matt Scherer (Seattle, Wash.) had just finished serving a two-minute minor for tripping when he came out of the box and took a pass from Brian Burns(Binghamton, N.Y.) and went in on a breakaway on Fenton and beat him top shelf.  Connecticut took the 2-1 advantage into the final intermission.  The third period was scoreless, with AIC pulling Fenton with 1:08 to go but unable to come up with the equalizer before time expired.

Smith made 28 saves en route to the victory, while Fenton made 31 stops on the evening.  AIC killed all six UConn power play chances while going 1-9 with the man advantage.

AIC returns to action Thursday night when it travels to Army for a 7:00 game.