Hockey: Air Force beats Mercyhurst, 7-0

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ERIE, Penn. (AFPN) --  The U.S. Air Force Academy scored four power-play goals and goalie Andrew Volkening stopped all 25 shots he faced in a 7-0 win over Mercyhurst in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Feb. 9 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, Penn.

The two teams split the two-game series as the Air Force improved to 14-11-5 overall and 11-9-4 in the AHA.

The Falcons took control of the game early with two first-period goals. Freshman Owen Kelly gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead at the 3:20 mark. Kelly's second of the season was assisted by Greg Flynn and Matt Becker. Flynn took a shot from the left point and Kelly pushed the puck in from the top of the crease in a scramble. Josh Frider's ninth of the season gave Air Force a 2-0 lead at the 12:51 mark. Brent Olson led a rush down the right side and fed Frider in the slot for a two-goal advantage.

The Falcons took a 3-0 lead in the second period on the power play at the 15:21 mark. Just after a penalty to Matt Charbonneau expired, the senior defenseman came out of the box and joined the rush through the neutral zone. Josh Schaffer skated the puck down the right side and his shot from just inside the circle beat the Mercyhurst goalie for his third of the year. Mercyhurst outshot the Air Force 15-7 in the period, but Volkening made all 15 saves.

The Air Force scored four goals in the third period, three of them on power plays. Frank Schiavone gave Air Force a 4-0 lead 41 seconds into the period in a four-on-four situation. Derrick Burnett led the rush and Schiavone scored from the right circle. The Falcons took a 5-0 lead when Jeff Hajner score a power-play goal from the slot.

The Academy extended its lead to 7-0 with two power-play goals on back-to-back penalties on Mercyhurst. Matt Fairchild scored a five-on-three goal at the 12:00 mark from when he put in a rebound of a Michael Mayra shot. Then, 48 seconds later, Frider tipped in a shot by Flynn for the Falcons' fourth power play goal of the game.

Air Force outshot Mercyhurst, 36-25, in the game. The Falcons were four-for-10 on the power play and killed all 10 of the Mercyhurst power plays.

The Academy hockey team travels to Buffalo for a two-game league series with Canisius Feb. 22 and 23. The Falcons close out the regular season, Feb. 29 and March 1 vs. AIC at the Cadet Ice Arena. If the Falcons finish in the top five of the league standings, Air Force will host a league playoff series, March 7 through 9 at the Cadet Ice Arena. 

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