It’s good to have a backup plan. And for the first time in the past 52 games, Air Force had to turn to its one in net.

Sophomore Zack LaRocque started his first NCAA game after senior goaltender Billy Christopoulos, the reigning Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week, became ill Thursday night. LaRocque made 15 saves in a 4-2 victory at Cadet Arena.

Evan Feno scored the first and last goals of the game, the second an empty-netter with 20 seconds left to ensure the outcome, and fellow senior Evan Giesler and sophomore Walker Sommer added tallies for the Falcons (5-4, 5-2 AHC), who led the entire way en route to winning their fourth game in a row and third in a row by a 4-2 score.

Air Force outshot Bentley, which made things interesting with two goals in the second period, 28-17.

“We were all over them (in the first period),” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “We had jump and they seemed to be a little sluggish. They’ve got a good team. I would be surprised if they don’t play better (Saturday).

“We got into a little trouble in the second period trying to do too much, which led to some turnovers, some penalties, but we came back strong in the third. I just liked our play overall.”

What LaRocque is cooking

The story of the game, however, was LaRocque, whose only other appearance this season came in relief of a 6-1 loss at Colorado College four weeks ago.

“Obviously Bill is arguably one of our best players,” Feno said. “But we trust the guys on our team, we trust Rocky in net. We rallied behind him.”

LaRocque only needed to make four saves in the first period, when Air Force racked up 15 shots and built a 2-0 lead on Feno’s goal off a cross-slot feed from Kyle Haak on a 5-on-3 power play and Giesler’s drive to the right side of the net, where he slammed the puck past Aidan Pelino (23 saves).

Things got trickier in the second period, when Bentley (2-5-1, 2-3-1 AHC) scored twice in a six-and-a-half-minute span. Captain Tanner Jago found leading scorer Luke Santerno alone on the back door on LaRocque’s glove side to cut the lead to 2-1.

Air Force reopened a two-goal lead less than 3 minutes later, at 6:32, when defenseman Jake Levin fired a beautiful pass to from the right corner of the AFA zone to Sommer on the left side of the Bentley blue line. The speedy Sommer drove the net, fired the puck off the post, off Pelino and into the net.

Four minutes later, Bentley again drew within one on a power-play goal by Drew Callin that took another odd bounce. Much like the first goal against, LaRocque had little chance on this one.

“I thought (LaRocque) played well,” senior defenseman Matt Koch said. “The first period there were only a couple of shots, but the ones he faced were weird pinball bounces. Of course the second goal was tough, it was off me. I didn’t do him any favors. He did his job.

“Collectively, we were good defensively, and that helped out a lot.”

Feno iced the game after Koch made two shot blocks with Pelino pulled. Zack Mirageas retrieved the second one and found Feno alone inside the circle to LaRocque’s left. The senior lofted a shot that tickled the twine and sent the home crowd home happy after a series opener at home for the first time this season.

“To find a way to win for (LaRocque), that’s going to do a lot for that young man’s confidence overall,” Serratore said. “If we could replicate that again tomorrow I’d take it in a heartbeat.”

A OK

Equipment manager Robert Rush had to get the sewing machine out this week. Three seniors were given the alternate captain “A” for their sweaters – Feno, Haak and defenseman Dan Bailey.

On the eve of the season opener the Falcons announced three tri-captains – Giesler, Koch and Matt Serratore, who has not played since the third game of the season because of what is believed to be a concussion.

“We felt our secondary leadership by those three seniors, their level of leadership behind Koch, Giesler and Serratore was so exemplary that I went to (assistants) Joe (Doyle) and Andy (Berg) and said this has to be rewarded,” Frank Serratore said. “I don’t care if it’s unconventional or not.

“We brought the three captains in and said unless you have a problem with it I want to reward those guys for the secondary level of leadership and support they’ve given. I want to put A’s on them. Without hesitation all three of them said for sure.”

Moving on

Director of hockey operations Corey Millen has accepted an assistant coaching job with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League. Millen, who played eight seasons in the NHL after an illustrious career at the University of Minnesota, was hired at Air Force in 2017. He previously had been a head coach in the North American Hockey League.

Air Force’s three stars

1. Zack LaRocque. The sophomore made key saves when he needed to in picking up his first NCAA win.
2. Evan Feno. The senior was on the puck all night, scoring twice and finishing plus-1.
3. Zack Mirageas. He was one of the ringleaders of a defense that kept Bentley at bay, and he picked up assists on both Feno goals.

Up next

The teams conclude their series Saturday at 7:35 p.m. at Cadet Arena. The start time was pushed back 30 minutes to accommodate the football game’s afternoon start. AM 1300 will carry the broadcast, while atlantichockey.tv (subscription) will have the webcast.

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