Air Force showed plenty of resilience, including killing off a 5-on-3 for two minutes midway through the third period on Friday, but in the end No. 2 Denver pulled out a 4-3 victory at Cadet Arena.
Three times the Falcons fought back from one-goal deficits, twice getting power-play markers. Goalie Billy Christopoulos started his second game in a row, and again turned in a strong effort while stopping 39 shots.
“We rallied behind the 5 on 3 kill and Billy Christopoulos was really good tonight,” Falcons junior defenseman Phil Boje said. “The effort was there, we just didn’t get a couple of bounces. We’ve just got to be better.”
Twice the Falcons gave up goals in the first minute of a period – 50 seconds into the game to Colorado Springs native Colin Staub and 52 seconds into the third to Highlands Ranch native Troy Terry. The Terry goal was particularly tough because it came just 13 seconds after freshman Brady Tomlak have drawn AFA (6-5-4, 4-2 ACH) to 2-2.
“We did so many things to hurt ourselves,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “We gave them a goal 50 seconds into the game. How many breakaways did we give them? It should have been 5-1.
“But we also did some good things. That double penalty (against Jordan Himley with 9:16 remaining in the third), we would never get that call on the road. But our guys rose to the occasion and killed the 5-on-3.”
The Falcons had tied the score a third time when Erik Baskin tipped in a point shot from Kyle Mackey 5:04 into the third, but DU clinched it when Jarid Lukosevicious lifted a rebound over Christopoulos 2:15 into overtime.
“It’s frustrating to overcome so much adversity and then have them score on us,” Serratore said. “When it got to overtime we thought there was no way we were going to lose. We might not win, but we weren’t going to lose.”
The victory extended the Pioneers’ unbeaten streak to 11 games, and it came after the teams traded the first six goals. The Falcons never led for the third consecutive game.
DU’s Tanner Jaillet made 20 saves but allowed more than two goals for the first time in 10 games. The Pioneers last gave up three goals in a 4-3 win vs. then No. 2 Boston University on Oct. 14.
On the offensive
Air Force, as it often has done this season, initiated much of its offense from its defense.
Boje scored the Falcons’ first goal on a power-play blast 6:15 into the game, and another shot of his came to Tomlak, who tied the score in the opening minute of the third.
Mackey’s point shot led to Baskin’s goal.
“We’re trying to advance pucks and get plays started,” Boje said. “First and foremost we’ve got to play defense. If we can do our job we trust our forwards to do their jobs. We’re relying on ourselves to get the puck out.”
Shot deficit
The Pioneers’ 43-23 shots edge wasn’t as much of a sore subject as was how they got them.
“We were porous,” Serratore said. “How many breakaways and partial breakaways did they have? It’s disheartening to lose (that way).
“We’re beyond moral victories. However you get there, we got that game to overtime. We were right there.
“When you get that close you’ve got to get it done.”
Notable
The start was Christopoulos’ third of the season. He played the final two periods of last Friday’s 5-5 tie at Western Michigan after fellow sophomore Shane Starrett was pulled after a four-goal first period. Christopoulos was coming off a 43-save effort in a 4-1 loss to WMU. The Broncos scored a late empty-net goal. … … Denver actually iced a slightly younger lineup than Air Force, dressing five freshmen and six sophomores for 11 underclassmen. The Falcons had just two freshmen in their lineup but eight sophomores. Fifteen of their 20 were sophomores or juniors, while just 10 of DU’s were. … The Falcons travel to World Arena on Saturday to play Colorado College, which lost to Wisconsin, 2-1, on Friday night.
