Falcons advance to Rochester with 2-1 win over Bentley

March 11, 2017

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Junior Ben Kucera scored the game-winning goal in the third period as Air Force defeated Bentley, 2-1, and advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Final Four, Saturday, March 11, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena. Air Force swept the two-game series with Bentley to advance to the Final Four for the second straight season and eighth time in the last 11 years.

Air Force (24-9-5) jumped on the board early in the first period. Tyler Ledford won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Matt Koch's shot was knocked down in front. Bentley's clear attempt hit Jordan Himley, who knocked it down and then scored his team-leading 19^th of the season from the bottom of the right circle.

The second period was marred by a several penalties on both teams. Bentley tied the game at 10:10 with a 4-on-4 goal by Andrew McDonald as he put back a rebound of Drew Callin's shot. In the second half of the period, Air Force had two separate 5-on-3 opportunities, one for 42 seconds and one for 57 seconds, but was unable to score.

Early in the third period, Even Feno created a turnover behind the Bentley net and centered the puck to Kucera. Kucera netted his fourth of the season for a 2-1 lead just 39 seconds into the third. Later in the period, Air Force had to kill a four-minute Bentley power play and did so without allowing a shot on goal. The Falcons also hit three posts in the third period, four in the game. Late in the period, Air Force spent most of the time in the Bentley end. With 34 seconds left, Bentley pulled its goalie, but only took one that was blocked by Dylan Abood.

Air Force outshot Bentley, 39-14, in the game. The Falcons were 0-for-5 on the power play while Bentley was 0-for-3. Shane Starrett made 13 saves in the game and stopped 31 of 32 in the series. Aidan Pelino made 37 for the visitors.

"We have a very resilient group," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We had to overcome some adversity tonight. We have taken a five-minute major in each of our last three games and you just can't keep rolling the dice like that. But we were able to find a way to get it done. Our penalty kill was terrific and it had to be. We were just a whisker from having a third game. Bentley has a good team and they had us on our heels several times. We will have to be better next week in Rochester and we can be."

Air Force will face either third-seeded Army or fourth-seeded Robert Morris in the Atlantic Hockey semifinals, Friday, March 17, in Rochester, N.Y. Air Force's opponent will be determined by the outcome of Sunday's Army-Mercyhurst game in West Point, N.Y.

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