Ullrick nets game-winner in 2-1 win

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Sophomore Ethan Ullrick's first career goal was the game-winner with 3:28 left as Air Force defeated Lindenwood, 2-1, Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena. Air Force earned its first sweep of the season and the first since Robert Morris, Feb. 23-24, 2024.

Air Force (3-3-0) trailed 1-0 entering the third period, but the Falcons rallied in the second half of the period. A major penalty was called on Lindenwood's David Gagnon, for a hit on Nick Remissong and the Falcons went on the power play. Chris Hedden tied the game at 11:07 with a one-timer from the right circle as Nolan Cunningham and Brendan Gibbons. On that major power play, Air Force had six shots on goal and three others blocked by Lion defensemen.

Later in the period, Will Staring sent a puck in the zone and Owen Dubois' shot hit the pipe. The puck caromed out to the middle of the ice where Ullrick scored his first career goal at 16:32. After a penalty on Air Force, Lindenwood pulled its goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage in the final 2:06, but the Falcons blocked two shots and Guy Blessing made a pair of saves to preserve the team's third win of the season.

Lindenwood (1-3-0) controlled play early in the first period, outshooting the Falcons, 6-2 and winning 15 of 19 faceoffs, in the first eight minutes. Coming out of a media timeout, Lindenwood won a faceoff in the neutral zone and started the rush. Jaeden Mercier collected the puck at the bottom of the circle and sent it through the slot to Ethan Zielke on the back door. Zielke scored his third of the season and second of the series for a 1-0 lead at 12:18.

Air Force outshot Lindenwood, 26-21. The Falcons were 1-for-6 on the power play and killed both of LU's power plays. Blessing made 20 saves for the Falcons while Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 24 for the Lions. Blessing stopped 46 of 49 in the series.

"This was a tight game and it was a matter of who was going to blink first," head coach Frank Serratore. "They had the momentum early, but then I thought we started to take it over. We knew they would come out with a big push tonight and they did. We just had to stick with it and we were trying to figure out a way to change the equation. That happened with the five-minute major. That was the difference. In some ways, this was a goalie dual. Their goaltender was really good, but ours was better. Blessing was outstanding."

Air Force travels to AIC to open Atlantic Hockey play, Oct. 25-26, in Springfield, Mass.

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Team Stats

Chris Hedden

Ethan Ullrick

Will Staring

Nolan Cunningham

Players Mentioned

Guy Blessing

Nolan Cunningham

Owen Dubois

Brendan Gibbons

Chris Hedden

Nick Remissong

Will Staring

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