Air Force played an ideal road game, and as a result the Falcons have positioned themselves to not only host a playoff series but potentially earn a first-round bye.
Freshman Luke Manning scored 13 seconds into the game, and Alex Schilling made 24 saves – including on a third-period penalty shot – to defeat RIT, 3-0, in an Atlantic Hockey Conference matchup Friday night at Rochester, N.Y.
The Falcons’ win, combined with Robert Morris’ 5-0 loss, moved them into a tie for fifth place. Air Force (10-17-6, 10-11-6 AHC) has a tiebreaker against the Colonials, who lost to Niagara. The Purple Eagles are in seventh just two points behind AFA and RMU.
Regardless, Air Force will at the very least play host to a first-round playoff series. If the Falcons win Saturday, they earn a bye. If they pick up at least a point, they would be the sixth seed and host 11th-seeded Mercyhurst next weekend.
“We came out of the game very strong,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “I liked our start, which provided our lead.”
Masked super hero
Schilling, who picked up his second shutout of the season, was involved in two crucial turning points.
In the second period, an apparent RIT goal by defenseman Adam Brubacher was overturned by a coaches’ challenge. The officials deemed the Tigers (18-13-4) had too many men on the ice.
“(Director of Hockey Operations) Ben Kinne called it from the press box,” Serratore said. “So all credit to him … In the chaos on the bench you don’t see all that.”
In the third period, Schilling stopped a penalty shot by forward Jake Hamacher, RIT’s second-leading scorer.
“Alex is so good on those breakaways,” Serratore said.
Opening shot
Manning’s goal, his fifth of the season, came on Air Force’s first shot of the game and tied a program record for the fasted to start a league game. The Falcons then went 58:34 before scoring again. Senior Brady Tomlak beat an icing call and scored an empty-net goal with 1:13 left.
Junior defenseman Zach Mirageas added another empty-netter with 17 seconds.
“We’ve had so much fun with this group,” Serratore said. “It’s got a never-say-die spirit about it. This group does not want the season to end.”
RIT got 21 saves from Ian Andriano, who played in place of the injured Logan Drackett.
©First Line Editorial 2020
