Robert Morris eliminates Air Force, 4-3
3/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
DETROIT, Mich. -- Robert Morris scored two third-period goals for a 4-3 win over Air Force in the quarterfinals of the College Hockey America tournament, Friday, March 10, at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit, Mich.
Robert Morris, the fourth seed in the tournament, advances to face the regular-season champion Niagara Purple Eagles, Saturday, March 11, at 3:35 p.m. EST. Despite winning six of its final nine regular-season games, Air Force's season is over.
The Falcons' finished the season at 11-20-1 overall. Robert Morris improves to 12-19-3. Robert Morris defeated Air Force five times during the season. The Colonials were the only team to win all four regular-season games from the Falcons.
Just 11 seconds into the game, RMU's Sean Berkstresser was called for a five-minute checking from behind penalty. The Colonials took the early momentum by killing the five-minute power play. RMU had two short-handed scoring chances that were turned away by Peter Foster.
Air Force got on the board first as Brooks Turnquist scored a power-play goal at the 9:27 mark of the first period. His shot from the point was assisted by Andrew Ramsey and Brent Olson. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead with 1:44 remaining in the period on Josh Print's third of the season. Brian Gineo started the play in his own end and fed Josh Schaffer at the RMU blue line to start a 2-on-1 rush. Schaffer made a centering pass that was tipped in by Print for a 2-0 lead.
The Falcons took a 3-0 lead on Theo Zacour's goal at 1:50 of the second period. The puck was behind the Colonial net, but out right in front and Zacour put it under the pads of Christian Boucher for his sixth of the season. Andrew Ramsey and Brian Gineo assisted on the play.
Robert Morris scored the next two goals of the game. Kurt Wright scored a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 5:54 with a point shot from the left circle. Logan Bittle's goal made the score 3-2 with 3:32 left in the second period.
The Colonials scored two goals in a span of 62 seconds in the third period. Air Force held a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes left in the third period. However, Bittle's second goal of the game, and his eighth of the season, tied the score at 3-3 with 5:11 remaining. Aaron Clarke made a pass through the crease and Bittle tied the game.
With 4:09 remaining, Tom Biondich scored the game winner from Chris Kaufman.
"The bottom line is we failed to make a play," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Usually in the playoffs, the first team to four goals wins and they got to four. When we had the 3-0 lead, we needed to get the next goal or make the next big save and we didn't. We had the gun to their head, but we didn't pull the trigger."
Air Force again out-shot Robert Morris, this time by a 30-19 margin. The Falcons were 1-for-7 on the power play while RMU was 1-for-4. Falcon goaltender Peter Foster made 15 saves. RMU netminder Christian Boucher made 27.
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Robert Morris, the fourth seed in the tournament, advances to face the regular-season champion Niagara Purple Eagles, Saturday, March 11, at 3:35 p.m. EST. Despite winning six of its final nine regular-season games, Air Force's season is over.
The Falcons' finished the season at 11-20-1 overall. Robert Morris improves to 12-19-3. Robert Morris defeated Air Force five times during the season. The Colonials were the only team to win all four regular-season games from the Falcons.
Just 11 seconds into the game, RMU's Sean Berkstresser was called for a five-minute checking from behind penalty. The Colonials took the early momentum by killing the five-minute power play. RMU had two short-handed scoring chances that were turned away by Peter Foster.
Air Force got on the board first as Brooks Turnquist scored a power-play goal at the 9:27 mark of the first period. His shot from the point was assisted by Andrew Ramsey and Brent Olson. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead with 1:44 remaining in the period on Josh Print's third of the season. Brian Gineo started the play in his own end and fed Josh Schaffer at the RMU blue line to start a 2-on-1 rush. Schaffer made a centering pass that was tipped in by Print for a 2-0 lead.
The Falcons took a 3-0 lead on Theo Zacour's goal at 1:50 of the second period. The puck was behind the Colonial net, but out right in front and Zacour put it under the pads of Christian Boucher for his sixth of the season. Andrew Ramsey and Brian Gineo assisted on the play.
Robert Morris scored the next two goals of the game. Kurt Wright scored a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 5:54 with a point shot from the left circle. Logan Bittle's goal made the score 3-2 with 3:32 left in the second period.
The Colonials scored two goals in a span of 62 seconds in the third period. Air Force held a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes left in the third period. However, Bittle's second goal of the game, and his eighth of the season, tied the score at 3-3 with 5:11 remaining. Aaron Clarke made a pass through the crease and Bittle tied the game.
With 4:09 remaining, Tom Biondich scored the game winner from Chris Kaufman.
"The bottom line is we failed to make a play," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Usually in the playoffs, the first team to four goals wins and they got to four. When we had the 3-0 lead, we needed to get the next goal or make the next big save and we didn't. We had the gun to their head, but we didn't pull the trigger."
Air Force again out-shot Robert Morris, this time by a 30-19 margin. The Falcons were 1-for-7 on the power play while RMU was 1-for-4. Falcon goaltender Peter Foster made 15 saves. RMU netminder Christian Boucher made 27.
--30--
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