Schwartz nets short-handed game-winner in 4-3 OT win

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force junior Austin Schwartz went coast-to-coast for the short-handed, overtime game-winner to beat Alaska-Anchorage, 4-3, Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Avis Alaska Sports Complex in Anchorage, Alaska.

Air Force (3-3-0 overall) trailed 3-0 in the second period, but came all the way back to force overtime by scoring on the power play, short-handed and even strength. Schwartz ended the game with his second career game-winner and his first in overtime.

Just 38 seconds into the game, the Seawolves scored in the rush. On a 2-on-2, Porter Schachle set up Ben Almquist for a 1-0 lead. UAH outshot Air Force, 12-2, in the first period, but Guy Blessing stopped the final 11 shots he faced in the period.

UAA (3-3-0 overall) scored two goals in less than four minutes for a 3-0 lead in the second. On the rush, Almquist scored his second of the game as he put back a rebound of his own shot at 4:42. The Seawolves took a three-goal lead as Maximillion Helgeson redirected a point shot by Gunnan Vandamme. The Falcons got on the board late in the second period on the power play. After Sam Brennan drew a penalty giving the Falcons the man-advantage. Clayton Cosentino gained the zone and dropped the puck for Will Gavin. Gavin slid the puck to the center point to Chris Hedden. Hedden gave it back to Gavin in the right circle for a one-timer and Gavin's second goal of the season at 18:05. However, in the final 35 seconds of the period, a major penalty was called on Luke Rowe, giving the Seawolves a five-minute power play.

The Falcon penalty kill not only got the job done, but scored a short-handed goal. Mason McCormick forced a turnover deep in the Seawolf end and scored from Chris Hedded at 1:40 of the third period to cut the deficit to 3-2. Air Force tied the game with 12:01 remaining on Rowe's first goal of the season. Lucas Coon, playing his first game in nearly a year after recovering from injuries, collected the assist by getting the puck to Hedden. Hedden set up Rowe for a one-timer from the top of the left circle to tie the game. With 9:30 left, Helgeson was open the slot, but Blessing made a diving glove save to keep the game tied.

In overtime, a penalty was called on the Falcons giving the Seawolves a 4-on-3 power play. UAA defenseman William Gilson's shot was knocked down and Schwartz collected the puck in his own slot. The junior from Parker, Colo., went coast to coast, beating two Seawolves down the ice and scored at 2:13 of overtime.

UAA outshot Air Force, 28-22, in the game. The Falcons were 1-for-3 on the power play while UAA was 0-for-3. Blessing made 25 saves for the Falcons. Jared Whale made 18 for the Seawolves.

"We all just witnessed magic tonight," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Give Alaska-Anchorage credit, they were clearly the better team for the first two periods. Thankfully for us, Guy Blessing was the best player on the ice. It is hard to turn a game around and we had absolutely nothing going when we were down 3-1 and killing a major. But we found a way to get it done. When Schwartz got his legs moving, their defenseman just couldn't keep up. What great substance our guys scored to come all the way and get a split up here."

The Falcons return home to host Colorado College, Oct. 27, and then play at No. 2 Denver, Oct. 28.

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