Air Force beats Bentley, 5-2

Oct. 25, 2002

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Air Force scored three goals in a two-minute span of the first period and held on for a 5-2 win over Bentley College (Mass.) in a non-conference college hockey game Friday night at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.

"We took a step in the right direction by finding a way to win the game," Air Force head coach Frank Serratore said. "We worked hard tonight, but we need to get better. They are a much-improved team and a very young team. They didn't capitalize on some of our mistakes. We will need to play better on Saturday or some of those mistakes could end up in our net."

A lackluster first-half of the first period changed quickly when Andy Berg scored his team-high sixth goal of the season. On the power play, Berg walked from the point to the high slot and fired a wrister from Steve Mead and Spanky Leonard. Sixty-eight seconds later, freshman Matt Bader gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead. Freshman Brooks Turnquist flipped a puck from the blue line on the boards and Bader tipped in his second goal of the season.

A rush up ice led to Air Force's third goal in one minute and 50 seconds. Kyle Fransdal's shot was saved but Shane Saum came flying down the left wing and punched in his first goal of the season. Defeneman Brian Reaney picked up his second assist of the season on the play at 16:34.

Bentley, 1-2 overall this season, got on the board with a power-play goal at 19:10. Andy Peters' rebound goal was assisted by Bryan Goodwin and Josh Chase.

Air Force's second power play goal of the game gave the Falcons a 4-1 lead late in the second period. Mead took a slap shot from the top of the circle that hit a sliding Bentley defenseman and flew over the shoulder of BC goalie Simon St. Pierre at 15:25.

Early in the third period, Bentley got back within two goals as Paul Markarian scored on a rebound from Ryan Mayhew and Tim Calabro. AFA senior Justin Hamilton scored an insurance goal at the 7:06 mark. A nice passing play from Mead and Carson Strang found Hamilton open on the left wing and the senior netted his first goal of the season.

Air Force, 2-3, out-shot Bentley in every period and 30-21 for the game. AFA was 2-for-5 on the power play while Bentley was 1-for-4. Mike Polidor made 19 saves for the Falcons, the first time he has made less than 30 all season. Pierre made 25 for Bentley.

Air Force and Bentley conclude the series Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:05 p.m. MDT.

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