Air Force Academy
Niagara
Niagara comes back for 5-2 win over Falcons
11/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Nov. 22, 2003
Niagara overcame an early two-goal deficit to defeat Air Force, 5-2, in a College Hockey America game Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.
Niagara swept the two-game series and improved to 6-5 overall and 4-0 in the CHA. Air Force fell to 6-6 overall and 0-4 in the CHA.
Air Force took a 2-0 lead with goals late in the first period and early in the second period. With 37 seconds left in the first period, freshman Billy Devoney scored his first career goal on the power play from Spanky Leonard and Steve Mead. Leonard made a centering pass and Devoney tipped it past Jeff VanNynatten for a 1-0 lead.
Just over three minutes into the second period, the Falcons took a 2-0 lead when another freshman lit the lamp. Theo Zacour redirected a pass from Matt Bader for his third of the season. Freshman Andrew Ramsey also assisted on the play.
Niagara scored the final five goals of the game. Brian Hartman scored on a rush up ice at 5:19 of the second period to make the score 2-1. The CHA's leading goal scorer, Barret Ehgoetz, scored the next two goals to give the Purple Eagles a lead they would not relinquish. His first goal came at 13:34 and tied the game. Ryan Carrigan and Jeremy Hall assisted on the goal that came from just outside the crease.
Ehgoetz then netted the game-winner 21 seconds into the third period. Andrew Lackner took a shot from the point and Ehgoetz cleaned up the rebound right in front of the net for his ninth of the season. Two minutes later, Jeremy Hall's slap shot beat freshman Peter Foster for a 4-2 lead. His eighth goal of the season came from Ehgoetz and Luke Parillo. Hall's goal chased Foster from the game as the freshman played 42 minutes in his first league start.
NU's final goal of the game was an empty-netter from Chris Welch with 39 seconds left.
Air Force again out-shot Niagara in every period and 39-28 in the game. Each team was whistled for five penalties. AFA was 1-for-5 on the power play while NU was 0-for-5. VanNynatten earned both wins in the series. He made 37 saves while allowing just two goals. Foster stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced and was replaced by Mike Polidor with 17:32 left in the third period. Polidor stopped all four shots he faced.
The Falcons are back in action Nov. 28-29 as the team will face a pair of nationally-ranked opponents. AFA travels to the south side of Colorado Springs to meet sixth-ranked Colorado College, Friday, Nov. 28, at 7:35 p.m. at the Colorado Springs World Arena. Air Force will host eighth-ranked Denver on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 7:05 p.m. at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.
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