Air Force Academy
Niagara
Karru nets game-winner in Niagara's 3-2 win
1/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 11, 2003
Hannu Karru's power-play goal at 8:46 of the third period lifted Niagara to a 3-2 win over Air Force in a College Hockey America conference game Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Cadet Ice Arena.
Niagara swept the series and improved to 7-13-2 overall and 4-2-2 in the CHA. Air Force, on a five-game unbeaten skid (0-4-1), fell to 8-13-1 overall and 2-7-1 in the CHA. Niagara jumped into second place in the league with 10 points while Air Force remains in a tie for fourth with five points.
Niagara's Bernie Sigrist gave the Purple Eagles a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at the 11-minute mark of the first period. Chris Sebastian took a shot from the point that was saved and Sigrist netted the rebound for his seventh of the season. Exactly two minutes later, Andy Berg's power-play goal tied the game. His 18th goal of the season was a blistering slap shot from the top of the circle that beat Jeff VanNynatten glove side. Steve Mead and Brian Reaney assisted on the play. The goal was Berg's 12th power-play goal of the season which leads the nation.
With 30 seconds left in the first period, Niagara took a 2-1 lead just nine seconds after their own power play ended. The Falcons were unable to clear the puck and a turnover gave Sebastian the puck in the Air Force zone. His slap shot deflected off of Air Force goalie Mike Polidor and went high into the far corner.
In a fast-paced second period, each team had 13 shots but neither could score until midway through the third period. The Falcons tied the game at 6:31 of the third period on Ryan Wiggins' ninth of the season. Wiggins' wrister from the faceoff dot was assisted by Buck Kozlowski and Berg.
Twenty seconds after a penalty on AFA's Seth Pelletier for hooking, Karru netted the game-winner at 8:46. Sigrist made the pass from behind the net and Karru was wide open on the left post.
An aggressive and poised Niagara team controlled the puck for the final 1:45 and did not let Air Force pull the goaltender for the extra skater.
Polidor made 29 saves for the Falcons while VanNynatten had 30 for Niagara. NU was 2-for-5 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-5. Each team had 32 shots in the game.
"We played much better than we did Friday, there is no doubt about that," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We wanted to be more physical and more intense on offense and we were. We wanted to be more intense and to a better job of communicating on defense and we did. We didn't take any chances tonight and we worked very hard. That is the way it has to be. Mike Polidor was very good and gave us a chance to win."
Air Force returns to the home ice with a two-game non-conference series against service academy rival Army, Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 18-19, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. both nights.
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