Hockey: Air Force remains perfect at 8-0; beats Bentley 8-2

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) --  The Academy Falcons remain perfect at 8-0 this season with an 8-2 win over Bentley College Falcons in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.

The 8-0 start ties the school record set in 1971-72 and they are the only undefeated, untied team in the nation that has played more than one game this season. Air Force is in first place in the AHA with 12 league points and an unblemished 6-0 record. Bentley fell to 1-3-0 overall and 0-2 in the AHA.

Sophomore center Jacques Lamoureux had a hat trick and an assist in the game. Linemate Brent Olson tied his career high with three assists, and goaltender Andrew Volkening made a season-high 29 saves for Air Force.

Air Force again scored first as sophomore Derrick Burnett scored from Jeff Hajner and Matt Fairchild. Fairchild sped down the right wing and centered a pass for Burnett who scored his second of series and third of the season. With 1:12 left in the first period, Lamoureux scored his first of the game on the power play. Brad Sellers passed to his defensive partner Greg Flynn at the left point. Flynn's slap shot was tipped in by Lamoureux at the top of the crease.

Senior captain Mike Phillipich added a power-play goal 43 seconds in to the second period. Flynn made a long outlet pass from one blue line to the other to spring Phillipich free. Freshman Scott Mathis also assisted on the play. Four minutes later, Air Force had a 4-0 lead as freshman Paul Weisgarber scored from Greg Burgdoerfer and Kevin Wright. Wright started the rush from his own end and Weisgarber put back Burgdoerfer's rebound at 4:29. 

Bentley got on the board at 5:52 on a rebound goal by Aaron Stonacek from Erik Peterson and Pat Percella. 

Air Force answered as Josh Frider netted his seventh of the season at the 10:20 mark from linemates Lamoureux and Olson. Olson made a pass from behind the net to Frider right in front. Lamoureux's second of the game came on the power play at the 14:50 mark from Olson and Michael Mayra. On the rush, Olson fed Lamoureux just inside the blue line who skated in uncontested on goaltender Joe Calvi for a 6-1 lead.

Bentley opened the scoring in the third period as Marc Menzione redirected a shot by Ryan Kayfes at the 7:12 mark. 

Air Force answered with two more goals. Sean Bertsch's first goal of the season came at 12:42. Fairchild kept the puck in the zone, skated down the left side and centered the puck to Bertsch who put back his own rebound. With 2:41 left, Lamoureux tallied his first career hat trick and the first by an Air Force player since Matt Fairchild last season vs. Denver. Olson found Lamoureux skating down the slot and the center from Grand Forks, N.D., made a move to get Calvi down on the ice. From a tough angle at the goal line on the left side, Lamoureux scored his nation's-best 11th goal of the season.

Lamoureux leads the nation in goals (11), points (17), power-play goals (7) and game-winners (4). Olson is second in the nation in points (17) and assists (14). Frider is fourth in the nation in points (13) and tied for third in goals (8). Among teams that have played more than one game, Air Force is the top scoring team in the nation, averaging 5.12 goals per game.

Air Force out-shot Bentley, 39-31, in the game and was 3-for-7 on the power play while Bentley was 0-for-5. Andrew Volkening made 29 saves for Air Force while Calvi had 31 for Bentley.

Air Force is off next week with the next series being at Holy Cross, Nov. 14-15, in Worcester, Mass.

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