No. 5 Denver nips Falcons, 3-1

Oct. 10, 2015

DENVER, Colo. - Denver, ranked fifth in the nation, scored a goal in every period to come from behind for a 3-1 win over Air Force in a non-conference college hockey game at Magness Arena in Denver, Colo.

Air Force (1-1 overall) struck first as sophomore defenseman Dylan Abood scored his first career goal just 1:43 into the game. Wingers Evan Feno and Tyler Rostenkowski sent the puck up to the left point and Abood's shot through traffic found the back of the net. Air Force had a 6-3 shot advantage through the first seven minutes of the period. Denver outshot Air Force 6-1 in the second half of the period and tied the game at 1-1 on a goal by Matt Marcinew. The Pioneers controlled the puck in the zone for several minutes and had the Falcons on their heels. Marcinew's wrister from the right circle tied the game at 13:35.

Late in the second period, the Pioneers broke the tie just after an Air Force power play. Nolan Zajac came out of the penalty box and took a long outlet pass that led to a breakaway. Falcon goaltender Billy Christopolous made the first save, but the Pioneers created a flurry in front and Zajac scored at 17:10 of the second period.

The Pioneers clung to the one-goal lead until late in the third period. Just after the Falcons killed another penalty, the Pioneers won a faceoff in the offensive and slid the puck over to the right point. Nick Neville's blast from the point lit the lamp for a 3-1 lead. Air Force pulled the goalie with 1:25 remaining and then Max Hartner drew his second penalty of the game to give the Falcons a two-man advantage with 62 seconds remaining. The Falcons were unable to get any closer.

"I am encouraged, but not satisfied," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Their goalie made some big saves for them. Denver executed better than we did tonight. We used up too much energy defending and we spent a lot of time in our two-thirds of the rink."

Air Force opens Atlantic Hockey play with a series against defending regular-season champion Robert Morris, Oct. 16-17, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

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Players Mentioned

Dylan Abood

Evan Feno

Max Hartner

Tyler Rostenkowski

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