SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The LIU men's hockey team had a strong performance Wednesday in a midday matinee against No.20 nationally-ranked American International College, but the home team would use a strong third period to pull away, taking the win, 5-2. With the loss, LIU moves to 2-4 in its inaugural season.
 
AIC would get on the board first, scoring during a major penalty. Seven minutes later, however, freshman Nolan Welsh would tie it up, scoring his first collegiate goal. Welsh evened the score at 1-1, with assists credited to Max Balinson and Christian Rajic.
 
The second period saw a similar pattern. AIC would score first, going up, 2-1, and LIU would come back to tie it up before the stanza was over. This time, it was freshman Gustav Müller who found the back of the net, scoring off a rebound to make it 2-2.
 
In the third period, however, AIC's potent offense finally got the best of the Sharks. The Yellow Jackets, who outshot LIU 42-24, would get two past goalie Garrett Metcalf, and score once on an empty net in the final minutes, taking the eventual win, 5-2.
 
Metcalf made 38 saves for the Sharks. Defensively, LIU blocked 18 shots, led by junior Carter Ekberg, who blocked four shots in his LIU debut. Mat Harris and Balinson each blocked three for LIU.
 
Up next, the Sharks prepare for a two game series against the Black Knights of Army, Firday January 15 and Saturday, January 16.