Photo Credit: Kelsey Lee- Violet Turtle Photography

Injuries , injuries, and injuries. If you had to describe some of the adversity AIC Hockey has had to face this year, injuries would be the central theme. All of those injuries did not stop a dedicated team from defeating a veteran Air Force group and flying to the semis of the Atlantic Hockey Tournament against a really good Holy Cross team in Worcester next weekend.

Head Coach Eric Lang and his staff have never had a woe is me attitude about any of the issues this team has faced, The team we saw defeat a Hockey East team in UMASS Lowell very rarely had the same lineup together for more than one night.

No matter, this team kept fighting for more and more, even through some less than desirable outcomes.

All of that past was prologue to this weekend. An AIC team that did not make the semifinal round last year with more talent able to play and home ice battled as hard as that team did. Both groups played their hearts out and while last year’s group arguably deserved a better fate, this group secured at least two more games of hockey.

They did so outplaying Air Force Academy for two nights. Not only did they win, but a younger team outplayed a veteran group for two nights and battled through adversity along the way.

First, let’s start with the weekend at large punctuated by a 3-2 overtime win where the team came back from 2-0 down to win on a Nico Sommerville tally in overtime . As Head Coach Eric Lang said it was an“ microcosm of our season this team has alot of fight and a lot of belief. That can take you a long way.”

On Sommerville and fellow senior blue-liner Brett Callahan Lang said “ Pretty fitting when push comes to shove we get two goals from senior captain defenseman Somerville and Callahan those two guys are the backbone of AIC Hockey . They are true Yellow Jackets.”Sommerville notched his sixth career goal in overtime shortly after taking a penalty in the extra frame. That adversity did not stop this group from continuing.

The thing that stood out about this AIC team and their battle was them always finding a way this weekend over Air Force. Take nothing away from the Falcons either as Lang said of the Saturday night “ I think Air Force came out in the first period, and played a terrific. It was more about them than what we weren’t able to do and I’d expect nothing less from an Air Force hockey team were able to get some traction in the second. With some slight adjustments the biggest adjustment was our guys belief.”

Also credit forward John Lundy as an individual standout for his coming back from injury to have a big weekend. As Lang says “the kid is a warrior. We never thought he’d be cleared to play last weekend. He doesn’t play in six weeks and scores two of the biggest goals of the season. His mindset and belief in himself is as good as any player I’ve ever coached.” Lundy got the extra-attacker goal to send the game to overtime. He seems to have a nose for the net in big moments and is another example of a high-end skilled player that was over looked by others and has found a home at AIC.

One constant for Lang this year has been freshman goaltender Nils Wallström. As Lang said “Nils is a world-class goalie He has an incredible calming disposition about him, and our team plays calm in front of him.” The biggest thing about Nils that deserves more notice for the sensational freshman is his rebound control. His defenders and team in front of him have a good predictable idea of where rebounds go and often cut down on put-back looks that can stymie even the best defense group. Nils has impressed at every stop on his journey and at AIC that continues to ring true.

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