Most nights scoring two power-play goals would bode particularly well for Air Force.
Saturday night wasn’t one of those nights.
AIC scored three power-play goals, snapping a streak of successful penalty kills that the Falcons had run to 34, en route to a 5-2 Atlantic Hockey victory at Springfield, Mass.
Sam Brennan and Parker Brown scored for the Falcons (5-10-2, 3-6-2 AHA), while Alex Schilling made 30 saves.
The game was a litmus test for the Falcons’ progress this season because AIC has won the past three Atlantic Hockey titles. Could Air Force win at Springfield for the first time since 2015?
Turning point
The contest turned in the final eight minutes of the second period.
The Falcons withstood the Yellowjackets’ furious first period, being outshot 15-5 but trailing just 1-0 after allowing their first power-play goal in 35 chances.
Brennan tied it on a one-time blast from the right circle on a power play 6:49 into the second. The Falcons were in the midst of firing eight consecutive shots on goal in a period in which they had.
However, the parade to the penalty box didn’t cease, and after one AIC goal was waved off, Blake Bennett beat an AFA defenseman wide and scored off a rush over Schilling’s blocker. Two minutes later, Jake Stella scored off a rebound to make it 3-1.
Finishing move
As they have more often than not, the Falcons were in catchup mode most of the game, falling behind 1-0, 2-1, 3-1 and finally 4-1 when senior transfer Brian Rigali scored the first of his two goals 6:51 into the third period.
Brown’s shot from the right point beat Carolina Hurricanes draft pick Jake Kucharski (26 saves) with 8:05 to go.
But Rigali ended any doubt about the outcome with 2:30 left when he intercepted a pass between the redline and the Yellowjackets’ blue line as Schilling was heading to the bench for an extra attacker.
Notes: Air Force captain Luke Rowe left the game midway through the first period after crashing into the AIC net and did not return. … The teams play again Sunday at 2 p.m.
©First Line Editorial 2022
