Air Force Academy
Findlay
Falcons and Oilers skate to 1-1 tie
2/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Feb. 21, 2003
Nothing was settled on the ice as Air Force and Findlay skated to a 1-1 overtime tie in a College Hockey America game Friday night, Feb. 21, at the Clauss Ice Arena in Findlay, Ohio.
Air Force is now unbeaten in its last three games and is 10-18-3 overall and 2-10-3 in CHA play. Findlay is 8-17-4 overall and 1-10-4 in the conference. Air Force remained in fifth place in seven points while Findlay is in sixth with six points.
Both goals in the game came within 29 seconds of each other in the second period. After a penalty-filled first period, Findlay struck first as D.J. Vogt scored an unassisted breakaway goal at the 9:44 mark. The Falcons tied the game at 1-1 when Spanky Leonard scored his eighth goal of the season at 10:13. Justin Hamilton took a shot from just inside the blue line and Leonard collected the loose puck between the circles. Just as he was getting knocked to the ice, he beat UF goalie Jamie VandeSpyker to the short side.
There were 15 penalties called in the first period and then 15 more in the final 45 minutes of the game. Air Force was 0-for-7 on the power play while Findlay was 0-for-6.
The game see-sawed back and forth with each team playing solid defense on one end and then creating opportunities on the offensive end. Air Force out-shot Findlay, 34-29, in the game. Air Force held a 25-16 advantage after two periods while Findlay out-shot Air Force, 13-9, in the third period and overtime.
"There are some ties that are good and some that are bad, but this was one was indifferent," assistant coach Maj. Joe Doyle said. "Both teams played very hard tonight. This was the kind of game we thought it would be, low-scoring and tight-checking."
Falcon goalie Mike Polidor made 28 saves while VandeSpyker made 33 for the Oilers.
The same two teams complete the two-game series Saturday, Feb. 22, at 7:05 p.m. EST.
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