Falcons earn first win with 5-3 victory at Lindenwood

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – Senior captain Willie Reim scored two goals and sophomore Guy Blessing made 25 saves as Air Force defeated Lindenwood, 5-3,in a non-conference game Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Centene Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo.

Junior Brian Adams scored his first goal of the season to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead at 2:09 of the first. Adams picked the pocket of a Lions player and scored his seventh career goal. Just over two minutes later, the Falcons took a 2-0 lead on the power play. Mitchell Digby drew a penalty and the Falcons took advantage. A shot by Will Gavin was saved, but Nate Horn redirected it to the boards. Luke Rowe won a stick battle and fed Willie Reim in the slot. Reim scored his second of the series, second of the season, on the power play at 4:28.

Early in the second period, Lindenwood tied the game as Adam Conquest scored on the rush at 2:49. Air Force regained the lead at 9:21, also on the rush. Sam Brennan blocked a shot in his own end and Digby helped get the puck out. Gavin carried the puck into the zone and scored his third of the series. The Lions tied the game on the power play at 14:03 when Coltan Wilkie scored with a one-timer from the right circle. The Falcons answered quickly as Willie Reim scored his third of the season. Freshman Chris Hedden collected his first career point with an assist as he slid to the puck to Brennan at the right point. Reim redirected Brennan's shot at 14:37.

Early in the third period, Parker Brown gave the Falcons a 5-3 lead. Blessing started the breakout with a long pass off the glass. Gavin and Digby controlled the puck on the wall before Brown snapped a wrister from the right circle at 4:28. Later in the third period, Lindenwood was called for three minor penalties, and a major, as the Falcons closed out their first win of the season.

Air Force outshot Lindenwood, 35-28. The Falcons were 1-for-7 on the power play while LU was 1-for-3. Matt Ladd made 30 saves for the Lions.

"We really needed to get that win," head coach Frank Serratore said. "After giving up a lead against Notre Dame last week, and then the disaster of last night, that was a must-win for us. Give our guys credit. We deserved to win this game. We won two of the three periods, we never trailed and just played a better game than last night."

Air Force opens Atlantic Hockey play with a two-game series against RIT, Thursday-Friday, Oct. 20-21, at 7:05 pm MT each night at the Cadet Ice Arena.

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