Bride scores game-winner as Falcons win in OT

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Blake Bride scored with 4:30 left in overtime as Air Force defeated Army, 5-4, in game one of the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals, Friday, March 11, at Tate Rink in West Point, N.Y. Bride's first career game-winner puts the Falcons one victory from winning the series and advancing to the AHA Final Four in Utica.

Air Force (14-16-3 overall) opened the scoring on the rush. Nate Horn won a stick battle in the neutral zone and Willie Reim carried the puck down the right side for his 10^th of the season at 6:43. Army tied the game when Joey Baez put back a rebound at 16:55. Late in the period, Parker Brown drew a penalty putting the Falcons on the power play.
With 10 seconds left on the power play, Brown fed Will Gavin at the center point and Gavin found Sam Brennan in the right circle. Brennan netted his sixth goal of the season, and second on the power play, with 54 seconds left in the period.

Army (14-16-4 overall) tied the game early in the second period when Eric Huss lobbed a wrister from the blue line that got behind Alex Schilling at 4:04. The Black Knights took a 3-2 lead at 5:34 when Eric Butte put back a rebound on the power play. The Falcons answered quickly as Brennan started the breakout in his own end and sent the puck up to Horn. Horn's cross ice pass was right on the tape of Reim who scored his second of the game at 6:12. Army regained the lead late in the period when Noah Wilson controlled the puck in the corner and slid it down the goal line from a sharp angle. The puck got past Schilling for a 4-3 Black Knight lead.

Air Force sophomore defenseman Luke Robinson tied the game with his first career goal with 7:05 left in the third. Mitchell Digby started the breakout with a long outlet pass to Gavin. As Gavin was looking to shoot, he lost the puck high at the center point. Robinson crossed the blue line with speed and fired a shot that tied the game at 4-4.
In overtime, each team had 12 shots on goal, with several quality chances. With under five minutes remaining, Brennan made an indirect pass off the backboards from the left point and Blake Bride was there to tuck the puck in short side for the game-winner. Blake's first career game-winner came with 4:30 remaining in overtime.

Air Force had a season high 51 shots on goal while Army had 37. Army was 1-for-3 on the power play and Air Force was 1-for-2. Gavin Abric made 46 saves for the Black Knights. Schilling made 33 for the Falcons.

"It was a great hockey game, maybe not the cleanest, but it was entertaining," head coach Frank Serratore said. "I was surprised with how many goals were scored. I liked our effort and resiliency. It was not a masterpiece at all, but it was a classic Air Force –Army playoff game. Now the task in front of us is the most difficult task in hockey, ending someone's season. This Army team is a proud, good, hard-nosed, veteran team and they don't want this season to end. We know we are going to get a great effort from Army on Saturday."

Game two of the quarterfinal series in Saturday, March 12, at 7:05 pm ET at Tate Rink in West Point.

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