Hockey: Air Force, Sacred Heart skate to tie

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  For the second straight night, Air Force and Sacred Heart skated to an overtime tie, this time the score was 1-1, in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Dec. 2 at the academy's Cadet Ice Arena.

The teams skated to a 3-3 overtime tie Dec. 1.

Sacred Heart remained in first place in the AHA with 18 points. The Pioneers have a league record of 7-2-4 (9-4-4 overall). Air Force is tied for third in the AHA with 13 points. The Falcons are 8-7-3 overall and 5-2-3 in the conference.

Sacred Heart opened the scoring at the 15:35 mark of the first period. Peter Ferraro took a shot that hit the post, but Matt Gordon put back the rebound for a 1-0 lead. Air Force answered on the power play at 18:07. Jeff Hajner won the faceoff and Brent Olson fed Josh Schaffer at the bottom of the left circle. His shot got past Jason Smith for his third of the season.

Each team's goaltender was perfect for the final 45 minutes of the game. Sacred Heart had 44 seconds of a five-on-three advantage in the second period, but was unable to get a shot on net as Eric Ehn blocked one shot and Billy Devoney blocked two. Smith made 15 saves in the second period, 11 in the third and one in overtime. Falcon goalie Peter Foster made eight saves in the second period, six in the third and three in overtime.

Air Force out shot Sacred Heart, 36-26. The Falcons were one-for-six on the power play while Sacred Heart was zero-for-three. Smith made 35 saves for the Pioneers. Foster made 25 for the Falcons.

"This was an even-steven game," said Falcon head coach Frank Serratore.

"I am so proud of the effort of our guys. They really played hard. Foster was good in the net and our power play was better," the coach said. "We couldn't have played much better, but we could have executed better offensively."

Junior forward Eric Ehn's eight-game scoring streak ended tonight. He continues to lead in the nation in goals with 15, and is now tied for second in points with 33 in 18 games.

The Sacred Heart series was also Toy Trick weekend for the Falcon hockey team. Fans were asked to bring a new stuffed toy to the game and throw it on the ice when Air Force scored its first goal each night. The team collected more than 500 toys in the two games. The toys will be given to children in hospitals and clinics during the holiday season.

Air Force travels to the University of Connecticut for a two-game series, Dec. 7 and 8, in Storrs, Conn.

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