Saturday, February 29
Rochester, N.Y.
5:05 PM MT
Air Force Academy
10-18-6, 10-12-6AHA
3
at
5
RIT
19-13-4, 15-9-4AHA
1
2
3
F
Air Force
1
1
1
3
RIT
0
2
3
5
Air Force falls to RIT, 5-3
2/29/2020 8:59:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Falcons are the sixth seed in the AHA Playoffs and will host Mercyhurst, March 6-8, at Cadet Ice Arena
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT's Chris McKay scored the game-winning goal with 2:39 remaining in the third period as the Tigers defeated Air Force, 5-3, in the final regular-season Atlantic Hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Gene Polisseni Center in Rochester, N.Y.
Air Force will be the sixth-seed in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs and will host a best-of-three first round series against 11th-seeded Mercyhurst, March 6-8, at the Cadet Ice Arena. RIT is the third seed and will have a bye in the first round.
Air Force (10-18-6, 10-12-6 AHA) took the early lead for the second straight night. Air Force freshman Luke Rowe finished a check in his own end and Brandon Koch and Brady Tomlak began the rush. Freshman Willie Reim gained the zone down the right side, made a move in front of the goal and netted his fifth of the season with 57 seconds left in the first period.
RIT (19-13-4, 15-9-4 AHA) scored two goals in a span of 92 seconds for a 2-1 lead. Will Calverly scored on a rebound at 2:58 and then Ryan Kruper scored on a breakaway at 4:30. Late in the period, Falcon freshman Bennett Norlin drew a penalty and the Falcons capitalized. Zach Mirageas and Luke Manning played catch out front and Brandon Koch tied the game with a wrister from the center point at 16:19.
With 12:50 left in the third period and the scored tied at 2-2, a major penalty for contact to the head was called on Air Force's Zach Mirageas and the Tigers took a 3-2 lead on the power play. Caleb Moretz scored 60 seconds into the five-minute power play when he collected a loose puck at the bottom of the left circle. However, the Falcons answered with the team's first short-handed goal of the season. Ty Pochipinski was the first to a loose puck and sent it ahead to Luke Manning. On a 2-on-2 short-handed rush, Manning's wrister from the right circle tied the game at 9:24. Air Force killed the rest of the penalty as the game remained tied until late in the third. With under three minutes left, McKay skated down the slot. His wrister snuck under the pads of Alex Schilling and just trickled over the goal line with 2:39 remaining. The Falcons quickly pulled Schilling after the goal, but Tiger forward Shawn Cameron scored an empty-netter with 1:16 left to seal the win.
RIT outshot Air Force, 20-16, in the game. Each team was 1-for-3 on the power play. Alex Schilling made 15 saves for the Falcons while Ian Adriano made 13 for the Tigers.
"This was a hard-fought game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "RIT came out with a sense of urgency and I felt we matched it for the most part. This was a tough game. It was for men only. This was a good hockey game and could have gone either way. Last night it went our way and tonight it went their way. I loved the fight in our guys. We are playing our best hockey right now and I think next weekend will be a terrific series against Mercyhurst."
--30--
Air Force will be the sixth-seed in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs and will host a best-of-three first round series against 11th-seeded Mercyhurst, March 6-8, at the Cadet Ice Arena. RIT is the third seed and will have a bye in the first round.
Air Force (10-18-6, 10-12-6 AHA) took the early lead for the second straight night. Air Force freshman Luke Rowe finished a check in his own end and Brandon Koch and Brady Tomlak began the rush. Freshman Willie Reim gained the zone down the right side, made a move in front of the goal and netted his fifth of the season with 57 seconds left in the first period.
RIT (19-13-4, 15-9-4 AHA) scored two goals in a span of 92 seconds for a 2-1 lead. Will Calverly scored on a rebound at 2:58 and then Ryan Kruper scored on a breakaway at 4:30. Late in the period, Falcon freshman Bennett Norlin drew a penalty and the Falcons capitalized. Zach Mirageas and Luke Manning played catch out front and Brandon Koch tied the game with a wrister from the center point at 16:19.
With 12:50 left in the third period and the scored tied at 2-2, a major penalty for contact to the head was called on Air Force's Zach Mirageas and the Tigers took a 3-2 lead on the power play. Caleb Moretz scored 60 seconds into the five-minute power play when he collected a loose puck at the bottom of the left circle. However, the Falcons answered with the team's first short-handed goal of the season. Ty Pochipinski was the first to a loose puck and sent it ahead to Luke Manning. On a 2-on-2 short-handed rush, Manning's wrister from the right circle tied the game at 9:24. Air Force killed the rest of the penalty as the game remained tied until late in the third. With under three minutes left, McKay skated down the slot. His wrister snuck under the pads of Alex Schilling and just trickled over the goal line with 2:39 remaining. The Falcons quickly pulled Schilling after the goal, but Tiger forward Shawn Cameron scored an empty-netter with 1:16 left to seal the win.
RIT outshot Air Force, 20-16, in the game. Each team was 1-for-3 on the power play. Alex Schilling made 15 saves for the Falcons while Ian Adriano made 13 for the Tigers.
"This was a hard-fought game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "RIT came out with a sense of urgency and I felt we matched it for the most part. This was a tough game. It was for men only. This was a good hockey game and could have gone either way. Last night it went our way and tonight it went their way. I loved the fight in our guys. We are playing our best hockey right now and I think next weekend will be a terrific series against Mercyhurst."
--30--
Team Stats
AF
RIT
Shots
16
20
PPG
1
1
SHG
1
0
Penalties
3
3
Penalty Mins
17
6
Faceoffs Won
21
27
Game Leaders
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
-2
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
1
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
D
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice HockeyF
/ Men's Ice Hockey
G
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice HockeyStacy McIntyre and Player POST Nevada
Saturday, December 20
Falcons even MW slate at 1-1 with win over Nevada
Saturday, December 20
Stacy McIntyre and Jayda McNabb Post Game vs New Mexico Highlands
Saturday, December 13
Falcons win a tight one against New Mexico Highlands
Saturday, December 13
