Saturday, March 16
USAFA, Colo.
7:05 pm MT
Air Force Academy
16-15-5
4
vs
5
Niagara University
16-18-5
1
2
3
F
Niagara
3
2
0
5
Air Force Falcons
2
1
1
4
Niagara holds on for 5-4 win over Air Force
3/16/2019 11:20:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Air Force's season comes to an end with a 16-15-5 overall record
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Niagara scored two goals in a span of 11 seconds late in the second period and held on for a 5-4 win over Air Force in game two of the Atlantic Hockey Conference quarterfinals, Saturday, March 16, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Niagara swept the series after a 3-2 overtime win on Friday.
Air Force's season comes to an end with a final record of 16-15-5. Niagara advances to the Atlantic Hockey Final Four in Buffalo, March 22-23.
The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 43-24, in the game and 34-5 in the last two periods. Air Force also hit four pipes in the game and eight in the series.
Niagara scored first off of an Air Force turnover behind its own net in the first period. Ben Sokay's shot was saved, but Tyler Hayes put back the rebound at 4:42. Air Force scored the next two for a 2-1 lead midway through the first. Matt Pulver forced a turnover behind the Niagara net and scored his fifth of the season at 5:51. Just 2:15 later, the Falcons scored again. Kyle Haak won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Walker Sommer snapped a wrister from the circle, just inside the far post, at 8:04. Niagara then scored the next two goals for a 3-2 lead at the end of the first. On the rush, Luke Edgerton slid the puck to the Chris Harpur at the center point. Harpur's wrister from the slot tied the game at 16:25. Niagara took a 3-2 lead 83 seconds later on the power play. The Falcons were called for two penalties that gave Niagara a 5-on-3. Off the faceoff, Noah Delmas scored his 15th of the season with 2:11 left in the opening period.
Air Force opened the second period with a power-play goal to tie the game. Alex Mehnert started the rush in his own end and Sommer gained the zone on the left side. Sommer set up Kieran Durgan in the right circle and the freshman netted his 12th of the season at 8:53. The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 14-0, in the first 17 minutes of the second period. However, Niagara scored two goals, on its first two shots, in a span of 11 seconds for a 5-3 lead. On the rush, Ludwig Stenlund centered the puck to Johnny Curran coming down the slot. The puck bounced free at the top of the crease and Kris Spriggs punched it in at 16:47. On the ensuing faceoff, the puck ended up behind the Air Force net. Edgerton knocked down the attempted clear and gave it to Nick Farmer in the corner. Farmer threw the puck to the net, from below the goal line, and hit off the skate of Billy Christopoulos and snuck in on the short side for a 5-3 lead at 16:58.
The Falcons opened the third period with a quick goal on a breakaway. Zach Mirageas made a long outlet pass to Erich Jaeger at the far blue line. Jaeger skated in uncontested and scored his first of the season 14 seconds into the third period. Air Force had several chances throughout the third, holding a 15-3 shot advantage. The Falcons pulled Christopoulos from the net in the final two minutes, but were unable to find the equalizer as the Purple Eagles swept the quarterfinal series.
"We fought gallantly and had a great effort, but just came up short," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Sometimes it's just not your weekend. If it wasn't for bad puck luck, we wouldn't have had any puck luck at all. I can't remember a series where a team hit so many pipes as we did in this series. I give Niagara a lot of credit. They made some adjustments tonight that helped them. Over the last several years, we have had some bounces go our way, but it wasn't meant to be tonight."
Brian Wilson made 39 saves for the Purple Eagles while Christopoulos had 19 for the Falcons. Niagara was 1-for-4 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-5.
--30—
Air Force's season comes to an end with a final record of 16-15-5. Niagara advances to the Atlantic Hockey Final Four in Buffalo, March 22-23.
The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 43-24, in the game and 34-5 in the last two periods. Air Force also hit four pipes in the game and eight in the series.
Niagara scored first off of an Air Force turnover behind its own net in the first period. Ben Sokay's shot was saved, but Tyler Hayes put back the rebound at 4:42. Air Force scored the next two for a 2-1 lead midway through the first. Matt Pulver forced a turnover behind the Niagara net and scored his fifth of the season at 5:51. Just 2:15 later, the Falcons scored again. Kyle Haak won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Walker Sommer snapped a wrister from the circle, just inside the far post, at 8:04. Niagara then scored the next two goals for a 3-2 lead at the end of the first. On the rush, Luke Edgerton slid the puck to the Chris Harpur at the center point. Harpur's wrister from the slot tied the game at 16:25. Niagara took a 3-2 lead 83 seconds later on the power play. The Falcons were called for two penalties that gave Niagara a 5-on-3. Off the faceoff, Noah Delmas scored his 15th of the season with 2:11 left in the opening period.
Air Force opened the second period with a power-play goal to tie the game. Alex Mehnert started the rush in his own end and Sommer gained the zone on the left side. Sommer set up Kieran Durgan in the right circle and the freshman netted his 12th of the season at 8:53. The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 14-0, in the first 17 minutes of the second period. However, Niagara scored two goals, on its first two shots, in a span of 11 seconds for a 5-3 lead. On the rush, Ludwig Stenlund centered the puck to Johnny Curran coming down the slot. The puck bounced free at the top of the crease and Kris Spriggs punched it in at 16:47. On the ensuing faceoff, the puck ended up behind the Air Force net. Edgerton knocked down the attempted clear and gave it to Nick Farmer in the corner. Farmer threw the puck to the net, from below the goal line, and hit off the skate of Billy Christopoulos and snuck in on the short side for a 5-3 lead at 16:58.
The Falcons opened the third period with a quick goal on a breakaway. Zach Mirageas made a long outlet pass to Erich Jaeger at the far blue line. Jaeger skated in uncontested and scored his first of the season 14 seconds into the third period. Air Force had several chances throughout the third, holding a 15-3 shot advantage. The Falcons pulled Christopoulos from the net in the final two minutes, but were unable to find the equalizer as the Purple Eagles swept the quarterfinal series.
"We fought gallantly and had a great effort, but just came up short," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Sometimes it's just not your weekend. If it wasn't for bad puck luck, we wouldn't have had any puck luck at all. I can't remember a series where a team hit so many pipes as we did in this series. I give Niagara a lot of credit. They made some adjustments tonight that helped them. Over the last several years, we have had some bounces go our way, but it wasn't meant to be tonight."
Brian Wilson made 39 saves for the Purple Eagles while Christopoulos had 19 for the Falcons. Niagara was 1-for-4 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-5.
--30—
Team Stats
NIA
AF
Shots
24
43
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
8
5
Penalty Mins
16
10
Faceoffs Won
34
50
Game Leaders
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
6
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
D
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
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