Friday, February 28
Rochester, N.Y.
5:05 PM MT
Air Force Academy
10-17-6, 10-11-6AHA
3
at
0
RIT
18-13-4, 14-9-4AHA
1
2
3
F
Air Force
1
0
2
3
RIT
0
0
0
0
Falcons blank RIT, 3-0
2/28/2020 9:43:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Alex Schilling posts second shutout of his career; Luke Manning nets game winner
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Sophomore Alex Schilling's second career shutout led Air Force to a 3-0 win over RIT in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Friday, Feb. 28, at the Gene Polisseni Center in Rochester, N.Y. Schilling stopped all 26 shots he faced against an RIT team that ranked 16th in the nation in scoring. Air Force extended its winning streak to seven games at RIT.
On the first shift of the game, Falcon freshman Luke Manning scored unassisted with a wrister from the bottom of the circle. Manning's goal 13 seconds into the game tied the school record for the fastest goal in a conference game. In 2005, Brian Gineo scored 13 seconds into a game against Bemidji State (CHA).
Early in the second period, RIT goalie Ian Andriano made saves on quality chances by Max Harper and Manning. With 7:55 left in the second period, it appeared that RIT had tied the game on a 4-on-4 goal by Adam Brubacher. However, after video review on a coaches' challenge, the goal was disallowed due too many men on the ice.
With 7:56 left in the third, RIT forward Jake Hamacher split two Falcons and skated in on a breakaway. A hooking penalty was called on Falcon freshman Keenen Lund and Hamacher was awarded a penalty shot. On the shot, Hamacher skated in tight on Schilling and then lost the puck wide of the net.
Air Force (10-17-6, 10-11-6 AHA) clung to the 1-0 lead as RIT pulled its goalie with 1:24 remaining. Brandon Koch took a shot at the open net that went wide, but Brady Tomlak collected the loose puck and scored with 1:13 remaining. RIT pulled its goalie again and, with 17 seconds left, Zach Mirageas scored in the empty-net to seal the 3-0 win.
RIT outshot Air Force, 25-24 in the game. RIT goalie Ian Andriano made 21 saves for the Tigers. Air Force was 0-for-4 on the power play while RIT was 0-for-3.
"I loved our start tonight," head coach Frank Serratore said. "A key component to winning for us is playing with the lead and we did that tonight. Our group has a spirit that is so infectious and they are so much fun to be around. I don't think we've seen the best of this group yet. We have put ourselves in a position to play a meaningful game on Saturday night."
With the Air Force win tonight, the Falcons moved into a tie for fifth place with Robert Morris and two points ahead of seventh-place Niagara. Air Force has the tiebreaker on both teams. Heading into the final game of the regular season, Air Force controls its own destiny. A Falcon win on Saturday night will lock up fifth-place and a first-round bye.
Air Force and RIT (18-13-4, 14-9-4 AHA) conclude the two-game league series on Saturday, Feb. 29, at 7:05 pm ET in Rochester, N.Y. The game in the final regular-season game for both teams.
--30--
On the first shift of the game, Falcon freshman Luke Manning scored unassisted with a wrister from the bottom of the circle. Manning's goal 13 seconds into the game tied the school record for the fastest goal in a conference game. In 2005, Brian Gineo scored 13 seconds into a game against Bemidji State (CHA).
Early in the second period, RIT goalie Ian Andriano made saves on quality chances by Max Harper and Manning. With 7:55 left in the second period, it appeared that RIT had tied the game on a 4-on-4 goal by Adam Brubacher. However, after video review on a coaches' challenge, the goal was disallowed due too many men on the ice.
With 7:56 left in the third, RIT forward Jake Hamacher split two Falcons and skated in on a breakaway. A hooking penalty was called on Falcon freshman Keenen Lund and Hamacher was awarded a penalty shot. On the shot, Hamacher skated in tight on Schilling and then lost the puck wide of the net.
Air Force (10-17-6, 10-11-6 AHA) clung to the 1-0 lead as RIT pulled its goalie with 1:24 remaining. Brandon Koch took a shot at the open net that went wide, but Brady Tomlak collected the loose puck and scored with 1:13 remaining. RIT pulled its goalie again and, with 17 seconds left, Zach Mirageas scored in the empty-net to seal the 3-0 win.
RIT outshot Air Force, 25-24 in the game. RIT goalie Ian Andriano made 21 saves for the Tigers. Air Force was 0-for-4 on the power play while RIT was 0-for-3.
"I loved our start tonight," head coach Frank Serratore said. "A key component to winning for us is playing with the lead and we did that tonight. Our group has a spirit that is so infectious and they are so much fun to be around. I don't think we've seen the best of this group yet. We have put ourselves in a position to play a meaningful game on Saturday night."
With the Air Force win tonight, the Falcons moved into a tie for fifth place with Robert Morris and two points ahead of seventh-place Niagara. Air Force has the tiebreaker on both teams. Heading into the final game of the regular season, Air Force controls its own destiny. A Falcon win on Saturday night will lock up fifth-place and a first-round bye.
Air Force and RIT (18-13-4, 14-9-4 AHA) conclude the two-game league series on Saturday, Feb. 29, at 7:05 pm ET in Rochester, N.Y. The game in the final regular-season game for both teams.
--30--
Team Stats
AF
RIT
Shots
24
25
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
4
Penalty Mins
8
8
Faceoffs Won
29
29
Game Leaders
+/-
+2
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyD
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyD
/ Men's Ice Hockey
G
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyTroy Calhoun and Players POST Wyoming
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