Falcons fall to Beavers, 4-2

Jan. 25, 2003

Frustration again for the Falcon hockey team as Air Force fell to Bemidji State, 4-2, in a College Hockey America game Friday, Jan. 24, at John Glas Fieldhouse in Bemidji, Minn.

In the final minute of the game, Air Force scored an apparent game-tying goal, but for the third straight game, the Falcons had a goal disallowed. With BSU leading 3-2, Air Force pulled its goaltender for an extra skater. Andy Berg took a slap shot from the top of the circle and Ryan Wiggins tipped the shot between the legs of Beaver goalie Grady Hunt. However, the goal was disallowed and the Beavers clung to a one-goal lead. With 26 seconds remaining, Wade Chiodo cleared a puck from the BSU zone and Riley Riddell out-skated the Falcons to the puck at the AFA blue line. Riddell's empty-net goal put the game out of reach.

"We haven't had a bounce go our way in an awful long time," Air Force head coach Frank Serratore said. "I am proud of the effort and our guys are playing hard and sticking together. This is a frustrated team, but eventually something good will happen."

Late in the first period, Wiggins gave the Falcons the early lead with a rare even-strength goal at 16:56. Scott Zwiers won the faceoff in the offensive zone and Andy Berg took a slap shot that was saved by Hunt. Wiggins was trailing the play and scored his 10th of the season. Just three minutes later, the Beavers tied the score on the power play. Jeff McGill tipped in a shot by Anders Olsson with 37 seconds left in the period.

BSU got its first lead of the game at the 6:14 mark of the second period as Bryce Methven scored on the power play. Myles Kuharski made the pass from the boards and Methven scored on the one-timer in the high slot . That goal was the first of three in a span of 1:49 seconds.

Air Force tied the score at 7:05 on Andy Berg's slap shot on the power play. Berg took a pass from Wiggins and netted his NCAA-leading 14th power-play goal of the season. One minute later, Kuharski scored an unassisted goal at 8:03. After a Falcon turnover in its own zone, Kuharski scored his fifth on the season from the faceoff dot.

Bemidji State improved to 6-8-6 overall and 4-3-2 in the CHA. The Falcons fell to 8-16-1 overall and 2-8-1 in the CHA. Air Force's winless skid reached eight games. BSU is in third place in the CHA with 10 points while Air Force remains in a tie for fourth with five points.

BSU out-shot Air Force in every period and 42-26 in the game. BSU was 2-for-5 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-4. Polidor made 38 saves for the Falcons, his third-highest total of the season. Hunt made 24 for the Beavers.

The same two teams conclude the series on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7:05 p.m. CST in Bemidji, Minn.

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