Air Force Academy
Bentley College
Falcons sweep Bentley with 6-2 victory
10/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Oct. 26, 2002
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Scott Zwiers had four points and Andy Berg had three to lead Air Force to a 6-2 win over Bentley College in a non-conference college hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.
Air Force earned a sweep in the series and evened its record at 3-3 overall this season. Bentley fell to 1-3. Air Force also improved to 22-5-1 against teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
"We played with much more energy and that is how we have to play," head coach Frank Serratore said. "If we play at this level of intensity, we will be a difficult team to play against. We were quicker tonight and that allowed us to finish our checks and win some races to loose pucks."
A much more energetic Air Force team showed its speed and work ethic against a young, but scrappy, Bentley squad. The Falcons out-shot Bentley, 35-29 in the game, and converted on 2-of-5 power plays. Bentley was 1-for-6 on the power play and was unable to capitalize on a five-minute major called against Air Force in the second period.
Berg got the Falcons going early in the game with his seventh goal of the season. Nice passing behind the net and in the corner from Zwiers and Spanky Leonard on the power play found Berg at the top of the circle. His slap shot at 2:43 came on the Falcons' second shot of the game. The Falcons continued to rush the net and it paid off at 10:14 when Seth Pelletier scored for a 2-0 lead. Zwiers and Shane Saum garnered assists on Pelletier's second goal of the season.
Bentley was held to just one shot attempt in the first nine minutes of the game. BC's first shot on goal came at the 11-minute mark. With 1:30 remaining the period, Kyle Fransdal scored from a near-impossible angle. Fransdal's first goal of the season came near the goal line in the corner and was assisted by Berg and Steve Mead.
Air Force continued its pressure in the second period and scored two more goals for a 5-0 advantage. Freshman Matt Bader netted his third of the season at 17:48 from Mead and Buck Kozlowski. Bader took a pass through the neutral zone at the blue line and skated in uncontested. His wrister beat reserve goalie Simon St. Pierre through the five hole. With 1:21 remaining in the period, Zwiers scored his second of the season on a flurry in front of the net. Pelletier and Saum assisted on the play.
Leonard's power play goal at 7:41 of the third period gave the Falcons a 6-0 lead. Berg and Zwiers passed the puck back and forth down low before hitting Leonard between the circles.
Bentley proved to be a team that would not quit and added two goals in third period to avoid the shutout. Paul Markarian scored on a slap shot from Bryan Goodwin on the power play at 10:24. BC's Jake Plattner took advantage of a Falcon turnover right in front of its own net and scored his first goal of the season at 16:14.
Falcon goalie Mike Polidor made 27 saves, including 13 in the third period. Geordan Murphy started the game for Bentley and gave up three goals on nine shots. St. Pierre started the second period and played the final 40 minutes. He gave up three goals on 26 shots.
Air Force opens College Hockey America play next weekend. The Falcons travel to New York for a two-game series against the University of Niagara, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 1-2, at 7:05 EST each night. Both games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs on KUBL 1300 and will be available on the internet at www.AirForceSports.com.
"The speed limit goes up next week," Serratore said. "Niagara is playing very well and they just went into North Dakota and gave them two good games. We will have to be at our best out there."
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