Falcons win hockey tournament

  • Published
TROY, N.Y. (AFPN) --  Peter Foster recorded his fourth shutout of the season, and Brian Gineo netted the Falcon's only goal as the Air Force Academy beat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the championship game of the 54th annual Bank of America/Rensselaer Holiday Tournament here Nov. 27.

Foster, the national leader with four shutouts this season, was named the most valuable player of the nation’s oldest holiday hockey tournament. Defensemen Brian Gineo and Brooks Turnquist were also named to the all-tournament team as each scored two goals and one game-winner.

“This is a historic win for the Falcon hockey program,” said head coach Frank Serratore. "This was not an easy win. We overcame 11 RPI power plays, and our guys just flat out got it done.”

For just the second time in academy history, Air Force has won a Division I tournament and just the second tournament championship on the road. The first was in 2001.

The Falcons (6-4-2) extended their winning streak to four games. They now have won four straight road games for the first time since the 2001-2002 season. The four-game road winning streak ties the school record set several times.

Air Force’s win against RPI marked the first over a team from the Eastern College Athletic Conference since a 2-0 win over Yale in the 1999. It is also the first time the Falcons have beaten a conference team on its home ice since a 5-3 win over Colgate in 1993.

Neither team scored in the first period despite each having three power plays. RPI (7-7-0) had 58 seconds of a 5-on-3, but could not score. RPI out-shot Air Force, 7-5, in the first period.

The Falcons opened the scoring late in the second period on just their fifth shot of the period and 10th of the game. On a power play, Brandon Merkosky skated the puck to the right faceoff dot and took a shot, but the goalie made the save. Andrew Ramsey’s attempt was also stopped, but Brian Gineo punched in the rebound at 18:37 of the second period.

As the game progressed, the Air Force defense stiffened, killing four penalties in the third period. The Engineers pulled the goaltender with 58 seconds left in the third period and had several flurries in front of the Air Force net, but Foster and the Falcon defense were perfect. RPI out-shot Air Force, 32-20, in the game and held the advantage in every period. Air Force was 1-for-8 on power plays while RPI was 0-for-11. RPI entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in scoring, averaging nearly four goals per game.

Foster is now just one shutout shy of tying the school record of five set by Marc Kielkucki in the 1998-1999 season. Gineo’s goal gives him a point in each of his last three games and in nine of 12 games this season.

“I always think more about the win than the saves or the shutout,” Foster said. “It was just great to see how happy the guys were after we won. We were the underdogs, but just came out and took care of our business.”

Air Force returns home to face College Hockey America foe Wayne State University Dec. 3 and 4.