Air Force Academy
Mercyhurst
Falcons sweep Mercyhurst with 3-1 win
1/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 6, 2007
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ERIE, Penn. - Air Force scored three goals in the second period and senior Ben Worker stopped 18 shots in his first career start as the Falcons beat Mercyhurst, 3-1, in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Saturday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, Penn.
By sweeping the two-game series, Air Force improved to 11-8-3 overall and 8-3-3 in the AHA. Mercyhurst fell to 4-14-4 overall and 4-10-2 in the league.
After a scoreless first period, the Falcons took advantage of five power plays in the second period. AFA scored three goals in the second period with two coming on the power play.
The Falcons opened the scoring at the 9:07 mark of the second period as Matt Charbonneau scored his first of the season on the power play. Michael Mayra took a shot from the point that was saved and Charbonneau punched the puck in from the right post. AFA took a 2-0 lead when sophomore defenseman Greg Flynn led a breakaway. Flynn skated the puck into the zone and took a shot that was saved. The puck came back into the slot and Theo Zacour, who was racing down the slot, put back the rebound at the 10:36 mark. Zacour's third of the season was also assisted by Jeff Hajner.
After three consecutive penalties on the Lakers, the Falcons built a 3-0 lead. The Falcons had nearly three minutes of power-play action and junior Eric Ehn, the nation's leading scorer, put back a rebound at the 17:41 mark. Mayra took a shot from the point that was saved and Ehn put back the rebound for his 19th goal and 40th point of the year.
In a penalty-filled third period, the Falcons had six power plays while Mercyhurst had two. The Lakers ended the shutout attempt by the Falcons at the 8:13 mark then Cullen Eddy scored in a four-on-four situation with a shot from the far boards. Air Force had 18 shots in the third period, but was unable to score against Laker goalie Jordan Wakefield.
Air Force had a season-high 55 shots in the game and held the Lakers to just 19. Worker, a senior from Thief River Falls, Minn., stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced in his first career start. Entering the game, Worker had played just a total of seven minutes in two games. AFA was 2-for-14 on the power play while Mercyhurst was 0-for-3.
"We dominated the game tonight and I don't know how much better a team can play," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Their goaltender was unbelievable tonight. We had 55 shots and only got three goals. We didn't get one first shot goal as all three came on re bounds. The key moment in the game was when Ben Worker stopped a short-handed breakaway in the third period when the score was 3-1. Ben made the save that we haven't been getting this season. We have a pretty good hockey team and we need some consistency in goal."
Air Force is on the road again next weekend as the Falcons' travel to Holy Cross for a two-game series, Jan. 12-13, in Worcester, Mass.
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