Air Force Academy
Holy Cross
Falcons fall to Holy Cross, 3-1:
11/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Frank Serratore post-game interview | Game highlights
By Meredith Yeoman/Air Force Academy media relations
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Despite peppering Holy Cross goaltender, Paul Berrafato, with 29 shots on net, the Air Force Falcons fell to the Crusaders, 3-1, in an Atlantic Hockey Conference matchup, Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.
A goal in the final 30 seconds of the first two period and then one midway through third gave the Crusaders a 3-0 lead. Kyle Haak tallied Air Force's lone goal of the night, a short-handed snipe from the right side of the crease at 18:17. Falcon forward Jordan Himley forced a turnover and defenseman Johnny Hrabovsky set up the score to draw the Falcons to within two.
Air Force (2-6-1, 1-3-1 AHC) will close out its two-game home set with Holy Cross (4-5-0, 3-2-0 AHC) Friday, Nov. 13 at Cadet Ice Arena. The puck is set to drop at 7:05 p.m. MT.
After allowing final-minute goals in each of the first two periods, the Falcons found themselves at a two-score deficit heading into the third frame. Though Air Force had some chances early in the third period, untimely penalties, including a 5-on-3 advantage for the Crusaders, slowed the Falcons' momentum. T.J. Moore capped an odd-man rush midway through the frame to put the Crusaders on top 3-0, before Haak's late goal sealed the 3-1 final.
Michael Laffin opened the scoring at 19:35 of the first period, deflecting Scott Pooley's shot from the right circle past Falcons' netminder Shane Starrett. Ryan Ferrill stuffed home a net-front rebound off of Jake Bolton's long drive with just 18 seconds remaining in the second to extend the Crusaders' lead to 2-0 at the second intermission.
Starrett finished 21 of 24 between the pipes for Air Force. Berrafato went 28 of 29 and fell just 1:43 shy of completing the shutout bid. Neither team converted a power play. Air Forced finished 0-for-3. Holy Cross was 0-for-4.
"We just didn't seem to have much jump or energy tonight," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We battled and the guys tried hard, but we just didn't seem to have the legs. Give Holy Cross credit, they are a tough team to play against and are very well-coached. When we had a breakdown, they capitalized."
