After a full non-conference October led American International College to a 1-5 start, the Yellow Jackets have turned their season around with point-filled hockey and sit third in Atlantic Hockey.

The Jackets’ 18 points are just seven and five points back from first-place Sacred Heart and second-place RIT, respectively. The Jackets also hold three games in hand over Sacred Heart and two games in hand over RIT.

Some roster turnover in the summer of 2022 led to a step back last season, where AIC finished in second place after four consecutive conference-winning seasons and earning AHA’s lone National Tournament bid all four years—excluding the cancelled 2019-20 postseason.

At this time last season, the Jackets held a 9-7-3 overall record and while they skate at a similar pace with a current 9-6 overall record, their streaky play of last year is dichotomous to their momentum this semester.

Even with opening the season 0-4 with non-conference losses to Massachusetts, a sweep by No. 4 Quinnipiac, and loss to No. 12 Penn State, the Jackets got a full look at what the nation’s top teams possess.

Head coach Eric Lang’s annual non-conference schedule has been the guiding path for his winning culture within Atlantic Hockey, which is what helped turn the season around. The Jackets claimed the second half of the series with No. 12 Penn State, using a three-goal first period jump to a 6-4 win, their first of the season.

The following week, AIC opened their conference play with a shutout over Bentley and while the Falcons took the second game, the Jackets followed that up with a six-game winning streak. 

Lang’s team has utilized strong defense, allowing more than two goals in just one of their past eight contests. Nationally, the Jackets sit 16th in each of faceoff percentage and penalty killing (eighth in short-handed goals).

The Jackets have also allowed the 20th fewest shots against per-game and 23rd fewest goals against per-game with much credit due to freshman netminder Nils Wallström.

Wallström has accustomed himself to the NCAA swiftly with a 2.34 GAA and .914 SV% and has claimed eight of AIC’s nine wins since taking over the crease.

AIC's Nils Wallstrom Named HCA Goaltender of the Month!

📰: https://t.co/bgSA7C9m6v pic.twitter.com/07kbhvC4lO

— Atlantic Hockey (@Atlantic_Hockey) December 1, 2023

The 20-year-old Swede has been pivotal in AIC’s loss of Jarrett Fiske, who played in 25 games last season as a transfer and ended the season with a 2.38 GAA and .923 SV%.

Fellow countrymen Alexander Malinowski and Alfred Lindberg have been pieces of the improvement from the start of the season. Malinowski brought immediate offense as a freshman last season before a six-game scoring drought through February.

Malinowski has contributed four goals over his past five games and nine points (5 G, 4 A) over his past 11 games. Freshman Lindberg is beginning to find his stride for the Jackets, too. Lindberg posted 13 goals and 33 points over 38 games as a rookie with the NAHL’s New Mexico Ice Wolves last season, his first in North America.

Lindberg has three goals and five points in his past five games including a multi-point effort in the series split with Sacred Heart. He’s earning his ice time, after skating in just three of the first 10 games, Lindberg has suited up in each of the past four games.

The Jackets hit the ice this week hosting second-place RIT with the ability to flip spots in the standings with the Tigers. 

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Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @Jacob_Messing.