Hockey: Air Force ties Holy Cross again

  • Published
  • By Dave Toller
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
WORCESTER, Mass. (AFNEWS) --  For the second consecutive night, Air Force and Holy Cross skated to a 2-2 overtime tie in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Jan. 13 at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass.

"From the drop of the puck to the end of overtime, it was a great college hockey game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "The two teams played with great pride and went toe to toe for 65 minutes. It was a street fight."

Air Force is 11-8-5 overall and 8-3-5 in league play. Holy Cross is 8-11-4 overall and 7-8-4 in the AHA.

After a scoreless first period, each team scored twice in the second. Holy Cross opened the scoring at the 1:58 mark witha a Matt Werry shot from right in front of the net. The first seven minutes of the period were controlled by the Crusaders as the home team held a 7-to-1 shot advantage.

After Bryan Becker drew a penalty on the Crusaders, the Falcons tied the game at 1-1. Greg Flynn took a shot from the point that bounced hard off the back boards and was collected by Josh Schaffer at the goal line. Schaffer's shot got by Crusader goalie Tyler Chestnut at the 7:45 mark.

Later in the second period, Mike Phillipich drew a cross-checking penalty and the Crusaders were whistled for too many men on the ice, giving the Falcons 55 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage. The Falcons capitalized and took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 10:47.

Eric Ehn fed Mayra at the left point who found Phillipich wide open at the right point. His wrister beat Chestnut high to the far corner. However, with the Falcons still on the power play, Holy Cross tied the game with a short-handed goal at 11:58. For the second straight night, Crusader winger James Sixsmith scored a shortie on a breakaway. His shot beat Falcon goalie Ben Worker to the far post.

Neither team scored in a dead-even third period and entered overtime tied at 2-2. Each team was whistled for a penalty, but one penalty in particular could have changed the game. Holy Cross winger Tanner Fogarty picked up a loose puck at the blue line and skated in uncontested as Falcon defenseman Greg Flynn was chasing from behind. Flynn was called for tripping, giving Fogarty a penalty shot with 1:12 remaining in the overtime and the score tied 2-2. Fogarty skated down the slot and fired a wrister that Worker gloved out of the air to preserve the tie.

"It was a defining moment for Ben Worker. He made the save and his confidence has to be soaring," said Coach Serratore. "If we are going to make a run late in the season and get home ice in the playoffs, two things have to happen. We have to get some productivity on our power play, and we need to get some big saves. Ben did that for us."

The Air Force out-shot Holy Cross 34-30 in the game. Each team had 21 shots after two periods, but the Falcons out-shot the Crusaders 13-9 in the third period and overtime. Worker made a career-high 28 saves in the game. Chestnut made 32 for the Crusaders. The academy was 2-for-8 on the power play while Holy Cross was 0-for-6.

Air Force returns home to play service academy rival and league foe Army at the Cadet Ice Arena Jan. 19 and 20.

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