Goals don’t count as carry-on luggage. Unfortunately, Air Force didn’t get the message before Friday night’s 3-0 Atlantic Hockey Conference loss to Holy Cross at Worcester, Mass.
The Falcons (5-5-1, 1-4 AHC) were shut out for the second game in a row, seeing their overall scoreless streak grow to 128:31, and lost a fourth game in a row for the first time in three years.
The lack of offense can be attributed in part to the absence of several key players, not the least of which are AFA’s top three centers – Kyle Haak, Tyler Ledford and Evan Feno. But when the Falcons generated quality chances, Crusaders goaltender Paul Berrafato (27 saves) was there to slam the door.
“I thought they were most vulnerable early in the game, when we had a lot of possession time down low,” AFA coach Frank Serratore said on AM 1300 after the game. “But Holy Cross doesn’t beat themselves. They made us play a 200-foot game, they had a power-play goal.”
That has been one common thread in the four consecutive losses – allowing an opponent to score with the man advantage. Another has been falling behind early and chasing the game.
“We had more power play chances (3 to 2) and we didn’t capitalize,” Serratore said. “When was the last time we played with a lead?”
That was Oct. 27, during a 3-1 victory at Canisius. The Falcons led the final 20:58 of that game, but that was two weeks ago.
The Falcons allowed an even-strength goal in the first period to captain Brett Mulcahy, a second-period power-play tally to Peter Crinella and an empty-net goal late by Mulcahy in the third to the Crusaders (4-2-3, 3-1-3 AHC).
Billy Christopoulos made 28 saves for the Falcons.
“Before you can win you have to learn how not to lose,” Serratore said. “We’ve got to come out swinging tomorrow.”
The hits keep coming
An already depleted Falcons lineup lost another regular in the first period Friday, when winger Trevor Stone suffered an upper-body injury. That came on the heels of captain Dylan Abood sustaining an ankle injury in practice this week that will keep him out this weekend.
The news wasn’t all bad on that front as senior wing Ben Kucera cleared concussion protocol and returned, as did senior defenseman Jonathan Kopacka (upper body).
“The good news is it’s early in the season, the bad news is we lost another player in Trevor,” Serratore said. “We’ve got some good players out, but we’ve still got some good players in our lineup.”
Next up
The teams play again Saturday at 5:05 p.m. MST.
Copyright First Line Editorial 2017
