HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of Alabama in Huntsville hockey team fell on Friday night in its exhibition with the U.S. Under-18 squad, dropping a 3-2 decision at Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center.
 
The Chargers took the early lead, scoring at 6:53 of the opening period as the team's leading scorer during the regular season Kyle Lysaght struck to make it 1-0 in favor of the Blue and White. Mac Roy and Ben Reinhardt picked up the assists on the tally.
 
The second period, however, was won by the visitors as they capitalized on four Charger penalties in the frame to outshoot UAH by an 11-2 clip, and they scored three times – including once on the power play – to take a two-goal advantage at 3-1 by the second intermission.
 
Frankie Vatrano, J.T. Compher and Riley Barber each registered goals in the frame.
 
The Chargers had a golden opportunity to pull within one with eight minutes left in the game as Lysaght fired it on U.S. goalie Jared Rutledge who turned it aside but, he left a big rebound for Roy whose attempt was also stopped.
 
Roy would be rewarded a few minutes later, however, as he put it past Rutledge at 14:11 of the third to make it 3-2 on another rebound try after Lasse Uusivirta's initial shot was stopped.
 
The final minutes of the contest were spent in front of Rutledge, but he was up to the task and prevented the Chargers from earning the equalizer despite a strong flurry from the squad.
 
For the game, the Americans threw 35 shots towards Clarke Saunders, and he stopped 32 of the attempts while keeping his team in the contest. UAH finished the contest with 17 shots on goal.
 
The two teams will square off again on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the final contest of 2011-12 for UAH.