Air Force Academy
Bentley
Air Force falls to Bentley, 6-5
10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 21, 2006
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U.S.A.F. ACADEMY, Colo. - Bentley scored four unanswered goals in the final 30 minutes for a 6-5 win over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Saturday night, Oct. 21, at the Cadet Ice Arena.
The two teams split the two-game series. Air Force is now 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the AHA. Bentley is 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Air Force had a 5-2 lead with nine minutes left in the second period. However, Bentley scored two in the final nine minutes of the second period and then added two more in the third. Bentley scored two even-strength, one power-play and one short-handed.
Bentley scored first in the game as Dain Prewitt scored on the power play at 3:04. The lead was short-lived as Eric Ehn scored eight seconds later to tie the game. Off the ensuing faceoff, Mike Phillipich flipped the puck to Andrew Ramsey in the neutral zone. Ramsey left the puck for Ehn who buried his eighth of the season.
AFA scored the next two goals to take a 3-1 lead. Ramsey scored from Phillipich and Brian Gineo at the 10:40 mark. Phillipich made a pass from the goal line, through the slot, to Ramsey at the far post. Just over five minutes later, Brent Olson scored the first goal of his career for a 3-1 lead. Josh Print started the play in his own end and fed Theo Zacour. Zacour skated in 2-on-2 and left the puck for Olson whose back-hander beat Bentley goalie Jason Kearney. Bentley scored on the power-play at 18:37 as Marc Zwicky scored his first of the season. The Falcons again quickly answered as Frank Schiavone scored the first goal of his career with 35 seconds left in the first period. Ehn made a pass up to the point and Schiavone's slap shot hit the inside of the post and went in.
The teams combined for 20 shots (Air Force 12 and Bentley eight) and six goals in the first period.
Air Force scored the first goal of the second period for a 5-2 lead. Freshman Matt Fairchild scored his first career goal on the power play at the 7:36 mark. Freshman Jeff Hajner gave the puck to Josh Schaffer on the half boards. Schaffer's centering pass was right on the tape and Fairchild beat Ray Jean, who replaced Kearney in goal after the first 20 minutes.
However, Bentley scored the next four goals of the game to earn its first win of the season. Jeff Gumaer scored twice in the second period to make the score 5-4. His first came from Tom Dickhudt and Casey Russell at 11:11. His second was a short-handed goal at 15:15. The Falcons turned the puck over in the offensive zone and Gumaer skated the puck down the ice uncontested.
The teams combined for 27 shots in the third period, but it was Bentley that lit the lamp twice. Jean made 14 stops for Bentley in the third period. Bentley tied the game at 5-5 just 2:07 into the third period. Mark Menzione scored on the power play. The Falcons tried to wrap the puck around the boards behind the net, but Prewitt knocked it down and gave the puck to Menzione who skated across the top of the crease for the goal. With 4:30 left in the third, Prewitt scored the game-winner from Anthony Canzoneri and Dickhudt. With the Falcons pressuring the Bentley goal, the puck came out to Canzoneri who skated down the left wing. He found Prewitt who was coming down the slot and scored his second of the season.
Air Force pulled its goalie for the final 1:32 and had a flurry at the end. Jean made three saves in the final 20 seconds and the Falcons also had two shots that went just wide of the post.
Bentley won the battle of special teams, going 3-for-6 on the power play and scoring short-handed. AFA was 1-for-8 on the power play. Volkening made 25 saves for Air Force. Kearney made eight saves for Bentley in the first period. Jean made 24 in the final 40 minutes. AFA out-shot Bentley in every period and, 37-31, in the game.
Air Force travels to Tampa next weekend for the Lightning College Hockey Classic, Oct. 28-29. The Falcons face Alabama-Huntsville, Friday, Oct. 28, at 5:05 p.m. EST. Notre Dame and Army play at 8:05 p.m EST.
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