Schwartz scores a pair in 5-2 win over Robert Morris

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Austin Schwartz scored two goals to lead Air Force to a 5-2 win over Robert Morris in an Atlantic Hockey game Friday, Feb. 23, at the Cadet Ice Arena.

Air Force earned three points in the standings and jumped into sole possession of fourth place in the conference. Air Force is two points ahead of Bentley and AIC and three points ahead of Niagara. The Falcons need one point on Saturday to earn a bye in the first round and home ice in the quarterfinals.

Air Force (17-17-1, 14-10-1 AHA) opened the scoring at 7:32 as freshman Owen Baumgartner scored his third goal in his last two games. Andrew DeCarlo and Austin Schwartz assisted as Baumgartner scored with a wrister from the left circle. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead at 17:17. DeCarlo won a faceoff in the defensive zone and Schwartz picked up the puck and broke loose on a breakaway, scoring his eighth of the season.

Early in the second period, the Falcons took a 3-0 lead on Brendan Gibbons' seventh goal of the season. DeCarlo forced a turnover and set up Gibbons in the slot for a one-timer. Robert Morris (10-24-1, 7-16-2 AHA) got on the board when Tanner Klimpke put back a rebound of Cade Townend's shot at 9:00. Air Force answered after Schwartz and Holt Oliphant drew penalties, giving the Falcons a 5-on-3. Mason McCormick won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Chris Hedden set up Luke Rowe at the center point. Rowe's blast was tipped in the McCormick at 9:00 for a 4-1 lead. RMU again answered on the power play at Rylee St. Onge tipped in a shot by Luke Johnson at 14:34. Late in the period, the Falcons took a 5-2 on the team's eighth short-handed goal of the season. Brian Adams chipped a puck off the wall, springing Schwartz for another breakaway. Schwartz netted his nation-leading fourth short-handed goal of the season with 1:39 left in the period.

Neither team scored in the third period as Falcon goalie made 11 of his 25 saves in the final 20 minutes.

Air Force outshot Robert Morris, 31-27, in the game, RMU was 1-for-5 on the power play while Air Force was 1-for-4. Chad Veltri started for the Colonials and stopped 18 of 23 in 40 minutes. Francis Boisvert stopped all eight he faced in the third period.

"I thought we were good enough tonight, but I didn't think we were the best version of ourselves," head coach Frank Serratore said. "I'd like to see us play the game that we need to play going into the playoffs. I didn't see the collective hunger by us. We converted some opportunities when we had them. We need to play with a sense of urgency and desperation before there is a sense of urgency and a sense of desperation. I thought we were the better team tonight, but we need to be better tomorrow and down the road in the playoffs."

Air Force and Robert Morris conclude the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 5:05 pm MT at the Cadet Ice Arena. Prior to the game, Air Force will honor its nine seniors on Senior Night.

--30--

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.