RIT sweeps Air Force with 2-1 victory

  • Published
  • By Dave Toller
  • Associate Director, Athletic Media Relations, U.S. Air Force Academy
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AFNEWS) --  Simon Lambert's power-play goal in the third period led the Rochester Institute of Technology to a 2-1 victory over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Saturday night, Feb. 10, at the Frank Ritter Arena in Rochester, N.Y.

RIT remains in first place in the AHA and improved to 19-9-2 overall and 18-5-1 in the league. Air Force fell to 13-14-5 overall and 10-9-5 and in fourth place in the conference. RIT swept the series after a 5-4 win last night.

An up-tempo first period saw both teams with several scoring chances but neither team able to light the lamp. The Falcons had just 22 shots in all of Friday's game, but had 12 in the first period. RIT had 11 shots in the opening period as Falcon Peter Foster and Tiger Louis Menard kept goose eggs on the board.

Air Force opened the scoring at the 6:50 mark of the second period when Matt Fairchild scored his fourth of the season. The freshman from Ashburn, Va., tipped in a centering pass from Josh Schaffer as Josh Frider also assisted.

The Falcons outshot RIT, 12-1, in the first 15 minutes of the second period. However, in the final minute of the second period, RIT tied the game at 1-1. After a Falcon turnover in its own end, the Tigers capitalized as Brennan Sarazin's shot was first blocked by defenseman Billy Devoney, but his second shot got past Foster to tie the game.

RIT out-shot Air Force, 11-5, in the third period. Tiger winger Simon Lambert scored the game-winner at 7:33 of the third period on the power play. Al Mazur made a centering pass from the corner and Lambert tipped it past Foster for a 2-1 lead.

Twice in the third period, Menard stoned Falcon forwards Eric Ehn and Andrew Ramsey. Four minutes into the third period, he made a diving glove save on a shot by Ramsey. Then with 3:06 left, Menard made a pad save on a shot by Ehn from right in front.

Air Force outshot RIT, 32-28, in the game. AFA was 0-for-5 on the power play while RIT was 1-for-4. Foster made 26 stops for the Falcons while Menard made 31 for RIT.

"We are plenty good enough to play good with anyone and lose close," head coach Frank Serratore. "We played good tonight, better than last night and Foster gave us good goaltending. RIT just has that special something and they find ways to win games. We are finding ways to lose games. Tonight we got the goaltending, but didn't get the goals."

Air Force returns home for the final regular-season series of the season, Feb. 16-17, vs. Canisius at the Cadet Ice Arena. The faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. MST each night.