Saturday, January 28
West Point, N.Y.
2:05 pm MT
Air Force Academy
6
at
4
Army
Falcons split the series with 6-4 win at Army
1/28/2023 7:26:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Six different Falcons scored and Maiszon Balboa earned his first career win with a career-high 33 saves as Air Force defeated Army, 6-4, in an Atlantic Hockey game Saturday, Jan. 28, at Tate Rink in West Point, N.Y. The two teams split the conference series.
Air Force (8-16-2, 4-11-1 AHA) scored three goals in a span of 3:00 for an early 3-0 lead in the first period. Air Force had allowed the first goal in 11 straight games before Luke Rowe gave the Falcons the early lead at 4:39. Clayton Cosentino and Austin Schwartz won a battle in the corner and Rowe netted his seventh of the season with a wrister from the right point. Air Force took a 2-0 lead on Willie Reim's sixth of the season. Chris Hedden skated the puck around the net and set up Reim in the high slot at 6:25. A pair of freshman connected on Air Force's third goal as Mason McCormick put back a rebound of Holt Oliphant's shot at 7:39. Army (8-14-3, 7-9-1 AHA) got on the board late in the period with a power-play goal by Joey Baez at 13:06.
The Falcons regained their three-goal lead early in the second period. On the first shift of the period, Luke Rowe sent a puck off the wall to start a 2-on-1 rush. Ty Pochipinski's shot was saved, but Blake Bride put back the rebound for his first of the season just 26 seconds into the second period. Air Force took a 5-1 lead on Nate Horn's seventh of the season. Sam Brennan's shot from the left point was wide and Oliphant's rebound try was saved. Horn scored with a shot just under the crossbar at 4:25. Army scored the next to goals to cut into the Falcon advantage. Baez scored his second of the game on the power play at 8:01 with a wrister from the top of the left circle. With 5:33 left in the period, Army defenseman Sean Vlasich took a shot from the right point that caromed off of an Air Force defenseman and into the net to cut the AF lead to 5-3.
Air Force took a 6-3 lead on its second short-handed goal of the season. Brandon Koch attempted to clear a puck from behind his own net but it was collected by Parker Brown. Brown sent the puck ahead to Bennett Norlin to start a 2-on-1. Norlin gave the puck back to Brown for a one-timer. Brown's fifth of the season, and first career shortie, gave the Falcons a three-goal lead at 5:55. On that same power play, Army answered as Thomas Farrell scored from the left point at 7:20 to make the score 6-4.With 2:58 left and on the power play, Army pulled the goalie for a two-man advantage. Maiszon Balboa made a pair of saves before the power play expired. Air Force then killed off the remainder of the extra attacker situation to earn a series split.
Army outshot Air Force, 37-32. Army was 3-for-8 on the power play while Air Force was 0-for-3. Balboa earned his first career win by making a career high 33 saves. Gavin Abric started for Army, but was replaced by Justin Evenson after allowing three goals on 11 shots. Evenson also allowed three
goals and made 18 saves.
"This was a hard-fought, evenly-played hockey game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We got off to a good start and we hadn't played with a lead in quite some time. Army pushed back and it wasn't easy. The third period was hard fought and we had to grind our way through it. There was nothing pretty or easy about it, but it never is. The bottom line is that we found a way to get through it and get three points. I'm proud of the guys."
Air Force returns home to host Mercyhurst, Feb. 3-4, in an Atlantic Hockey series at Cadet Ice Arena.
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Air Force (8-16-2, 4-11-1 AHA) scored three goals in a span of 3:00 for an early 3-0 lead in the first period. Air Force had allowed the first goal in 11 straight games before Luke Rowe gave the Falcons the early lead at 4:39. Clayton Cosentino and Austin Schwartz won a battle in the corner and Rowe netted his seventh of the season with a wrister from the right point. Air Force took a 2-0 lead on Willie Reim's sixth of the season. Chris Hedden skated the puck around the net and set up Reim in the high slot at 6:25. A pair of freshman connected on Air Force's third goal as Mason McCormick put back a rebound of Holt Oliphant's shot at 7:39. Army (8-14-3, 7-9-1 AHA) got on the board late in the period with a power-play goal by Joey Baez at 13:06.
The Falcons regained their three-goal lead early in the second period. On the first shift of the period, Luke Rowe sent a puck off the wall to start a 2-on-1 rush. Ty Pochipinski's shot was saved, but Blake Bride put back the rebound for his first of the season just 26 seconds into the second period. Air Force took a 5-1 lead on Nate Horn's seventh of the season. Sam Brennan's shot from the left point was wide and Oliphant's rebound try was saved. Horn scored with a shot just under the crossbar at 4:25. Army scored the next to goals to cut into the Falcon advantage. Baez scored his second of the game on the power play at 8:01 with a wrister from the top of the left circle. With 5:33 left in the period, Army defenseman Sean Vlasich took a shot from the right point that caromed off of an Air Force defenseman and into the net to cut the AF lead to 5-3.
Air Force took a 6-3 lead on its second short-handed goal of the season. Brandon Koch attempted to clear a puck from behind his own net but it was collected by Parker Brown. Brown sent the puck ahead to Bennett Norlin to start a 2-on-1. Norlin gave the puck back to Brown for a one-timer. Brown's fifth of the season, and first career shortie, gave the Falcons a three-goal lead at 5:55. On that same power play, Army answered as Thomas Farrell scored from the left point at 7:20 to make the score 6-4.With 2:58 left and on the power play, Army pulled the goalie for a two-man advantage. Maiszon Balboa made a pair of saves before the power play expired. Air Force then killed off the remainder of the extra attacker situation to earn a series split.
Army outshot Air Force, 37-32. Army was 3-for-8 on the power play while Air Force was 0-for-3. Balboa earned his first career win by making a career high 33 saves. Gavin Abric started for Army, but was replaced by Justin Evenson after allowing three goals on 11 shots. Evenson also allowed three
goals and made 18 saves.
"This was a hard-fought, evenly-played hockey game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We got off to a good start and we hadn't played with a lead in quite some time. Army pushed back and it wasn't easy. The third period was hard fought and we had to grind our way through it. There was nothing pretty or easy about it, but it never is. The bottom line is that we found a way to get through it and get three points. I'm proud of the guys."
Air Force returns home to host Mercyhurst, Feb. 3-4, in an Atlantic Hockey series at Cadet Ice Arena.
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