Saturday, November 18
Erie, PA
5:05 pm MT
Air Force Academy
5
at
2
Mercyhurst University
Falcons win third straight with 5-2 victory over Mercyhurst
11/18/2023 9:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
ERIE, Pa. – Air Force scored two short-handed goals and one on the power play for a 5-2 win over Mercyhurst in an Atlantic Hockey game Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, Pa.
A wild first period saw four combined goals and five combined penalties. Air Force scored first on the rush. Guy Blessing made a save and kicked out a long rebound to Holt Oliphant. Oliphant gained the zone on the right wing and found Mason McCormick on the left side. McCormick scored his second of the season at 6:25. The Lakers answered with two goals in a span of 27 seconds, both on the rush. Laker winger Kyler Head took a long outlet pass at the far blue line and scored with a wrister from the high slot at 8:20. Mercyhurst (2-6-2, 1-2-2 AHA) took a 2-1 lead on a 2-on-1 as Mickey Burns scored at 8:47. Late in the period, Owen Baumgartner drew a penalty and the Falcons tied the game. Luke Rowe and Will Gavin took shots that were saved before Clayton Cosentino tied the game at 19:00 of the first period.
Air Force (7-6-0, 4-1-0 AHA) scored the only goal of the second period as Chris Hedden scored his first career short-handed goal with 5:58 left in the period. Austin Schwartz picked up the assist as the Falcons took a 3-2 lead.
Early in the third period, the Falcons scored again short-handed. Laker goalie Simon Buechler sent a puck through the neutral zone, but Sam Brennan intercepted it. Brennan skated down the left side and scored with a wrister from the bottom of the circle for his first career short-handed goal at 3:54 of the third. With 2:44 left in the game, the Lakers pulled the goalie for the extra attacker. Guy Blessing made two saves and the Falcons blocked three shots. After a faceoff, McCormick and Rowe won pucks on the wall and Oliphant took a shot from the top of the circle in his own end for his second empty-netter of the season with 30 seconds left in the game.
Air Force outshot Mercyhurst, 30-28, in the game. The Falcons were 1-for-3 on the power play and killed all five of the Laker power plays. Blessing made 26 saves. Bucheler topped 22 of 26, but was pulled after the fourth goal. Owen Say played the final 13 minutes and made three saves.
"We gave them too many chances in the first period," head coach Frank Serratore said. "They could have had three or four goals in the first period. I'm really proud of our guys for making some adjustments in the second and third periods that led us to the win. Our penalty kill was terrific and even scored two goals. We out-played them in the second and third periods. This was a good team win."
The teams conclude the two-game conference series on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 4:05 pm ET.
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A wild first period saw four combined goals and five combined penalties. Air Force scored first on the rush. Guy Blessing made a save and kicked out a long rebound to Holt Oliphant. Oliphant gained the zone on the right wing and found Mason McCormick on the left side. McCormick scored his second of the season at 6:25. The Lakers answered with two goals in a span of 27 seconds, both on the rush. Laker winger Kyler Head took a long outlet pass at the far blue line and scored with a wrister from the high slot at 8:20. Mercyhurst (2-6-2, 1-2-2 AHA) took a 2-1 lead on a 2-on-1 as Mickey Burns scored at 8:47. Late in the period, Owen Baumgartner drew a penalty and the Falcons tied the game. Luke Rowe and Will Gavin took shots that were saved before Clayton Cosentino tied the game at 19:00 of the first period.
Air Force (7-6-0, 4-1-0 AHA) scored the only goal of the second period as Chris Hedden scored his first career short-handed goal with 5:58 left in the period. Austin Schwartz picked up the assist as the Falcons took a 3-2 lead.
Early in the third period, the Falcons scored again short-handed. Laker goalie Simon Buechler sent a puck through the neutral zone, but Sam Brennan intercepted it. Brennan skated down the left side and scored with a wrister from the bottom of the circle for his first career short-handed goal at 3:54 of the third. With 2:44 left in the game, the Lakers pulled the goalie for the extra attacker. Guy Blessing made two saves and the Falcons blocked three shots. After a faceoff, McCormick and Rowe won pucks on the wall and Oliphant took a shot from the top of the circle in his own end for his second empty-netter of the season with 30 seconds left in the game.
Air Force outshot Mercyhurst, 30-28, in the game. The Falcons were 1-for-3 on the power play and killed all five of the Laker power plays. Blessing made 26 saves. Bucheler topped 22 of 26, but was pulled after the fourth goal. Owen Say played the final 13 minutes and made three saves.
"We gave them too many chances in the first period," head coach Frank Serratore said. "They could have had three or four goals in the first period. I'm really proud of our guys for making some adjustments in the second and third periods that led us to the win. Our penalty kill was terrific and even scored two goals. We out-played them in the second and third periods. This was a good team win."
The teams conclude the two-game conference series on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 4:05 pm ET.
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Players Mentioned
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