WEST POINT, N.Y. – Air Force scored late in the third period and added an empty netter to break a 1-1 deadlock and earn the weekend split with the Black Knights as the Falcons won 3-1 on Saturday night.
After a scoreless first period and most of the second, the Falcons broke the ice with Erik Baskin tipping a pass over the shoulder of Gahagen and into the corner of the net at the 2:53 mark of the middle stanza. Evan Giesler and Dylan Abood were credited with the assists.
Army knotted the score as Tyler Pham picked the pocket of an Air Force skater at the blueine and skated in on the Air Force netminder. He beat Shane Starrett to the stick side and high to tie the game at 1-1 with 14:46 left in the third.
Dan Bailey gave the Falcons the 2-1 lead with 4:26 remaining in the game and then Matt Serratore hit the empty net to close out the scoring.
ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTES
Air Force leads the series 38-20-6
Pham scored his first of the season and Army’s first shorthanded goal of 2016-17. It was his first career shorthanded goal and his 17th tally of his career.
The Black Knights halted a 10-game winning streak by the Falcons last night and earned a weekend split for the first time since 2011.
Air Force’s Shane Starrett was on his game tonight with 29 stops between the pipes.
Parker Gahagen finished with 21 saves in net for the Black Knights.
TURNING POINT
– Bailey’s shot from the high slot after Haak won the puck back to him on an offensive zone faceoff. The puck had eyes through traffic and into the net.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Black Knights came out and put the pressure on the Falcons right away in the first period and controlled most of the play. Army outshot its rival, 15-4, in the opening 20 minutes, but Starrett stood tall in net. The Black Knights earned the lone power play of the frame and couldn’t find the back of the net.
The Falcons broke the ice late in the second period with Baskin getting free in front of Gahagen for his second tally of the season.
The goal came minutes after Serratore rang a shot off the post after beating Gahagen over the left shoulder.
Pham stole the puck as Air Force tried to break out during a power play. He went top shelf on Starett for his first goal of the year and Army’s first shorthanded goal of the year.
Bailey gave Air Force the lead with 4:26 remaining in the game with a shot from the point with an assist to Haak off a faceoff. Serratore added the empty netter to close out the scoring in the final minute.
UP NEXT
The Black Knights are back on home ice next weekend with a series against Canisius. Both matchups are slated for 7:05 p.m. starts.
