Rally falls short in 4-2 loss at Niagara
2/7/2026 9:23:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
NIAGARA, N.Y. – Niagara scored three goals in the first period and held off Air Force for a 4-2 win in an Atlantic Hockey America game Saturday, Feb. 7, at Dwyer Arena in Niagara, N.Y.
Niagara (9-17-1, 6-12-1 AHA) struck early in the game as Jonathan Ziskie's point shot was saved and Davis Cobb put back the rebound just 3:22 into the game. The Purple Eagles took a 2-0 lead on the power play when Spencer Young scored on a scramble in front of the Air Force goal at 13:42. Just under 90 seconds later, Niagara took a 3-0 lead in a four-on-four situation. Young won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Ziskie's point shot went in at 15:02.
The Purple Eagles held the 3-0 lead until midway through the third period. Air Force got on the board at 9:01 of third period on the power play. After Nick Sajevic won a faceoff in the offensive zone, Sam Stitz took a shot that was saved. Chris Hedden tipped the puck to Will Dawson who netted his eighth of the season. The assist was the 100th career point for Hedden. He is the first Falcon defenseman with 100 career points since 1995 and is just the fifth AHA defenseman to hit the century mark in the last 20 years.
The Falcons cut the NU lead to 3-2 when Brendan Gibbons scored his sixth of the season. Mason McCormick won the faceoff and Gibbons scored at 13:47. Trailing by a goal, the Falcons just killed a Niagara power play, but Dalton Melin gave the home team a 4-2 lead with 1:43 left.
The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 37-23. Air Force was 1-for-5 on the power play and Niagara was 1-for-4. Dominik Wasik made 19 saves for the Falcons. Tomas Anderson made 35 for the Purple Eagles.
"We need to be better right from the puck drop," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Tonight, we had a good 40 minutes, but we needed a good 60 minutes. Give Niagara credit, they came out and played with energy and they were determined. We created a hole that was a little too deep to dig out of. We came back and played with a lot of spirit and energy in the second and third and got back in the game. For a minute there, it looked like we might pull another one off. This is a tough lesson to learn."
Air Force (14-12-2, 10-9-1 AHA) returns home for a four-game home stand starting with Mercyhurst, Feb. 13-14, and then Army, Feb. 20-21.
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Niagara (9-17-1, 6-12-1 AHA) struck early in the game as Jonathan Ziskie's point shot was saved and Davis Cobb put back the rebound just 3:22 into the game. The Purple Eagles took a 2-0 lead on the power play when Spencer Young scored on a scramble in front of the Air Force goal at 13:42. Just under 90 seconds later, Niagara took a 3-0 lead in a four-on-four situation. Young won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Ziskie's point shot went in at 15:02.
The Purple Eagles held the 3-0 lead until midway through the third period. Air Force got on the board at 9:01 of third period on the power play. After Nick Sajevic won a faceoff in the offensive zone, Sam Stitz took a shot that was saved. Chris Hedden tipped the puck to Will Dawson who netted his eighth of the season. The assist was the 100th career point for Hedden. He is the first Falcon defenseman with 100 career points since 1995 and is just the fifth AHA defenseman to hit the century mark in the last 20 years.
The Falcons cut the NU lead to 3-2 when Brendan Gibbons scored his sixth of the season. Mason McCormick won the faceoff and Gibbons scored at 13:47. Trailing by a goal, the Falcons just killed a Niagara power play, but Dalton Melin gave the home team a 4-2 lead with 1:43 left.
The Falcons outshot the Purple Eagles, 37-23. Air Force was 1-for-5 on the power play and Niagara was 1-for-4. Dominik Wasik made 19 saves for the Falcons. Tomas Anderson made 35 for the Purple Eagles.
"We need to be better right from the puck drop," head coach Frank Serratore said. "Tonight, we had a good 40 minutes, but we needed a good 60 minutes. Give Niagara credit, they came out and played with energy and they were determined. We created a hole that was a little too deep to dig out of. We came back and played with a lot of spirit and energy in the second and third and got back in the game. For a minute there, it looked like we might pull another one off. This is a tough lesson to learn."
Air Force (14-12-2, 10-9-1 AHA) returns home for a four-game home stand starting with Mercyhurst, Feb. 13-14, and then Army, Feb. 20-21.
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Players Mentioned
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