Air Force Academy
American International (AHA Best of 3)
Air Force beats AIC, 10-3, advances to quarterfinals
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 7, 2015
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Cole Gunner scored a career-high four goals to led Air Force to a 10-3 win over AIC in game two of a best of three Atlantic Hockey playoff series, Saturday, March 7, at the Cadet Ice Arena. The Falcons sweep the series and advance to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals to face either RIT or Canisius in a best-of-three series, Friday-Sunday, March 13-15. Air Force has won three straight and improved to 16-19-4 overall this season. AIC's season ended with a 4-25-7 overall record.
Chad Demers put the Falcons on the board just 71 seconds into the contest on a flurry in front. George Michalke III took a shot that was knocked down in front and Max Hartner put the rebound on net. An AIC defenseman tried to clear the puck, but it bounced off a skate and right to Demers in the left circle. The senior gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead at 1:11 of the first period. AIC goalie Hunter Leisner made several big saves as the Falcons held on to the 1-0 lead until late in the period. With three minutes left in the first period, AFA led 1-0 and had an 11-8 advantage in shots on goal. In the final three minutes, Air Force had seven shots on net and scored two goals in a span of 1:26. Gunner gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead at 17:06. His wrister from the goal line bounced off of an AIC defenseman and went in the net. Ben Carey and Scott Holm kept the puck in the zone and Gunner scored as he was trying to feed Holm on the back door. Demers' second of the game came on the rush at 18:32. Dan Weissenhofer chipped the puck to Gunner on the neutral zone to start the rush. Skating down the slot, Demers tipped in Gunner's centering pass for a 3-0 lead.
In the first minute of the second period, Gunner scored on the power play for a 4-1 lead. Weissenhofer and Ben Kucera played catch at the point and Gunner took a shot from the goal line that went off the back of goaltender Hunter Leisner 54 seconds into the second period. After the goal, Leisner was replaced in goal by Alex Murray. AIC quickly answered as Johno May created a turnover in the Air Force end and sent a wrister past Chris Truehl from the left circle at 1:08 of the second. Junior Ben Carey scored his second goal of the weekend at 12:05 of the second period. Carey intercepted a clear attempt and skated in to the slot. His first shot was saved, but Carey put back the rebound for a 5-1 lead. Gunner completed the hat trick, his second of the season, at 14:22 of the second period. Tyler Ledford and A.J. Reid moved the puck in the AIC zone and Reid dropped it for Gunner in the slot for his 19th goal of the season.
Air Force scored four goals in the first nine minutes of the third period. Carey scored his second of the night at 1:37 of the third period. Dylan Abood and Max Hartner assisted as Carey put back the rebound for a 7-1 lead. Just under a minute later. Ledford's long outlet pass sprung Reid for a breakaway. Reid battled through a penalty that was called on Brandon Lubin and netted his 10th goal of the season. Freshman defenseman Phil Boje scored his second of the series, and seventh of the season, at 6:51. Ledford and Erik Baskin assisted on Boje's blast from the high slot. After the goal, both teams made a change in goal as Jacob Caffrey came in for AIC and Connor Girard took the crease for the Falcons. Gunner then netted his fourth of the night came at 8:57. The senior winger forced a turnover in the neutral zone and Carey gave the puck back to Gunner on the right side. Gunner's wrister gave the Falcons a 10-1 lead. AIC scored its second of the night on the power play as Nathan Sliwinski scored from Johno May and Andrew Debrincat at 13:11. AIC added another later goal as May scored his second of the night on the rush with 2:32 remaining.
"We've had our trials and tribulations this season and we have been waiting for this team to come together" head coach Frank Serratore said. "But this weekend, and really the last three games, we played fabulous hockey. We played with energy, passion, and spirit and played a good solid team game. This is what we have been waiting for. We are on a little roll right now, but now we have to take this same game on the road. We are playing our best hockey right now. If we play like this on the road, I like our chances."
Air Force outshot AIC, 57-32, AFA was 1-for-5 on the power play while AIC was 1-for-2. Chris Truehl earned the win as he made 21 saves, allowing
