WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Led by  a career-high two goals from Coltyn Hansen and  a career-high three assists from Alec Butcher, the Sacred Heart men's hockey team opened Atlantic Hockey play with a 4-1 win over the AIC Yellow Jackets Tuesday night at Olympia Ice Center. 

AIC (0-6-0, 0-1-0 AHC) took a 1-0 lead at 14:31 of the first period. With the Yellow Jackets on the power play, Shawn McBride fired a one-timer from Austin Orszulak past Sacred Heart goaltender Brett Magnus for the game's first goal. The Pioneers tied the game at 17:32 of the first on Hansen's first goal of the season. The junior forward crashed the net to send home the rebound of a Butcher shot to make the score 1-1 heading into the second period.

Sacred Heart (2-1-1, 1-0-0 AHC) took a 2-1 lead at 8:21 of the second period. Butcher started a rush from the Pioneers' zone, getting the puck to Zach Luczyk who fed Evan Jasper for a power play goal. The Pioneers tacked on another power play goal at 17:37, as Kory Kennedy re-directed a Luczyk shot past Hunter Leisner to put Sacred Heart ahead 3-1. Just over a minute into the third period, Hansen snuck his second goal past Leisner to give the Pioneers' a 4-1 lead.

The Pioneers outshot the Yellow Jackets 33-16. Sacred Heart was also a perfect 2-for-2 on the power play while AIC was 1-for-4. Magnus made 15 saves while Leisner had 29. Sacred Heart also blocked 17 shots.

Sacred Heart opens a weekend series with Canisius on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:05 p.m. at Milford Ice Pavilion.

FIRST PERIOD

- The Pioneers had four shots on goal in the first six minutes.

- Sacred Heart held AIC without a shot on goal on the Yellow Jackets' first power play 8:19 into the game. Spencer Graboski was called for a tripping minor.

- AIC goaltender Hunter Leisner stopped three straight shots from Jordan Minello and Connor Doherty with 8:30 to play in the period.

- The Pioneers put four straight shots on goal after AIC's power play tally, with Leisner stopping all of them.

- Hansen's goal in the period was his first since Feb. 28, 2014 against UConn. Jordan Minello had an assist on the goal for his first point of the season.

- Sacred Heart outshot AIC 14-3 in the period.

SECOND PERIOD

- AIC went on the power play 2:24 into the period when Zach Luczyk was called for tripping. Sacred Heart killed the penalty, holding the Yellow Jackets to one shot on goal.

- Jasper's goal was his second power play goal in as many games.

- Freshman defenseman Liam Clare recorded his first career point on Kennedy's power play goal.

- Justin Danforth had a pair of opportunities to extend the Pioneers' lead late in the period but Leisner saved both shots.

THIRD PERIOD

- Magnus made two saves after Hansen's second goal. He had seven in the third period.

- The Pioneers killed an AIC power play with 6:18 remaining, holding the Yellow Jackets to one shot with the man advantage.

- Leisner stopped a Jeff Carroll shot with 2:34 remaining.