Tigers hold off Falcons in Faceoff at Falcon Stadium

Postgame Interviews

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Colorado College center Grant Cruikshank's hat trick led the Tigers to 4-2 win over Air Force in the Faceoff at Falcon Stadium, Monday, Feb. 17. Colorado College swept the two-game non-conference series and won the Pikes Peak Trophy.

Colorado College (10-16-2) opened the scoring at 13:18 of the first period when Cruikshank redirected Bryan Yoon's pass on the power play for a 1-0 lead. Cruikshank's second of the game gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead at 11:49 of the second period. Yoon forced a turnover in the neutral zone and Cruikshank put back a rebound of his own shot.

Air Force (8-17-5) cut the Tiger lead in half with 34 seconds left in the second period on the power play. Zach Mirageas started the rush in his own end and Luke Manning carried the puck in deep. Manning's shot was saved, but Brandon Koch put back the rebound to make the score 2-1.

Early in the third period, the Tigers extended the lead to 3-1 on the rush. Josiah Slavin drove down the right side and dropped the puck for Chris Wilkie who netted his 20^th of the season at 3:21. Air Force answered with a rush of its own. Matt Pulver and Blake Bride created a flurry in front and Luke Rowe fired in the rebound at 4:59.

With 1:35 left in the third, the Falcons pulled the goalie in favor of the extra attacker. The teams battled for a loose puck in the neutral zone when Cruikshank bounced a puck off the wall that ended up in the empty net with 37 seconds remaining.

Colorado College outshot Air Force, 30-29, in the game. Air Force was 1-for-3 on the power play while CC was 1-for-4. Alex Schilling made 26 saves for the Falcons while Vernon made 27 for the Tigers.

Air Force hosts Mercyhurst in a two-game Atlantic Hockey series, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 21-22, at the Cadet Ice Arena.

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