Holy Cross defeats Air Force, 5-2

WORCESTER, Mass. – Jack Ricketts scored two goals and Jason Grande made 29 saves to lead Holy Cross to a 5-2 win over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey game Friday, Jan. 13, at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass.

Holy Cross (6-13-2, 5-7-1 AHA) drew first blood on the power play. Jack Ricketts scored from the center point from Alec Cicero and Matt Shasky at 8:11. Air Force tied the game 36 seconds later. Andrew DeCarlo won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Will Gavin scored with a blast from the top of the right circle at 8:47. Back-to-back penalties on the Crusaders gave the Falcons a major power play and two minutes of a 5-on-3. The Falcons had six shots on goal and Brandon Koch rang one off the pipe, but the Falcons were not able to capture the lead. The Crusaders regained the lead when Devin Phillips redirected a shot by Matt DeBoer with 37 seconds left in the opening period.

The Crusaders scored two goals midway through the second period. On a flurry in front of the Falcon goal, Alex Peterson scored at 7:33. Holy Cross took a 4-1 lead on the rush when Liam McLinskey put back a rebound of Matt Guerra's shot at 10:47.

Ricketts scored his second of the game with a wrister from the right circle at 12:38 of the third period for a 5-1 lead. Late in the third and on the power play, Air Force pulled the goalie for the extra attacker. Clayton Cosentino redirected a shot by Willie Reim at 17:35 to cut the Crusader lead to 5-2.

Holy Cross outshot Air Force, 32-31, in the game. HC was 2-for-6 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-7. Air Force senior Austin Park, in his first career start, made a career-high 27 saves.

"It's tough sledding right now," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Holy Cross plays hard and free and are very well-coached. The turning point was in the first period when we had a full-service 5-on-3 and a major and didn't score. We got out-shot, out-special teamed and out-goaltended. The better team won tonight."

Air Force (6-13-2, 2-8-1 AHA) and Holy Cross conclude the two-game series Sunday, Jan. 15, at 4:05 pm ET in Worcester, Mass.

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Team Stats

Clayton Cosentino

Will Gavin

Willie Reim

Andrew DeCarlo

Players Mentioned

Clayton Cosentino

Andrew DeCarlo

Will Gavin

Brandon Koch

Austin Park

Willie Reim

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