Air Force nearly recovered from a disastrous start, but it could not get the equalizer against a determined Robert Morris team, which won 4-2 Saturday at Cadet Ice Arena to sweep the Falcons for the first time since January 2015.
Colonials winger Jordan Timmons, a transfer from Connecticut, scored three goals in the first 9:21 – two on power plays – to stake RMU (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Hockey) to a 3-0 lead just 9:21 in. His even strength goal came just 25 seconds into the game and just seconds after Air Force goaltender Alex Schilling was plowed into.
“They came out and imposed their will on us,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “Give them credit. But how could they not call the Robert Morris player for running into Schilling?
“Shame on us. We took some penalties and we didn’t kill them. … The way the first (period) started that could have been ugly.”
However, the Falcons (0-4) worked their way back into it over the next two periods.
Here are three observations from the game:
Like a Rock
After the Colonials’ early onslaught, Serratore turned to Zach LaRocque, and the senior answered the bell – stopping 24 of the 25 shots he faced. His body of work included several sliding pad saves. “Give Zach LaRocque a lot of credit. He helped us turn that game,” Serratore said.
LaRocque saw the puck well, and made a couple of dandy saves midway through the second period to keep the score 3-1. Senior co-captain Jake Levin, in just his second game back after a contact-tracing imposed quarantine, scored with 3:02 to go in the first. It was the second night in a row a blue liner tallied for the Falcons.
“Rocky is a great goaltender, and he proved that tonight,” Levin said. “He’s really reliable. It was incredible some of the saves he made. That really got the bench going.”
As for the rough start that led to Schilling making an exit for the second night in a row, Levin added, “I wouldn’t say any (of the first three goals) were the goalie’s fault. The mentality changes (when a goalie is pulled). Guys don’t want to leave a goalie out to dry.”
Rallying point
The Falcons closed the gap to one when freshman Thomas Daskas, whose backhand pass to Levin from behind the net of Colonials goalie Noah West (21 saves) led to the co-captain’s goal, completed a picturesque tic-tac-toe play with Bennett Norlin and Alex Mehnert. Norlin curled with the puck in the left circle and got it to Mehnert in the high slot. The defenseman’s touch pass went right to Daskas in the right circle and over West.
🚨🚨GOOAAAALLLLLL🚨🚨
Falcons get within one with a goal from #34 Thomas Daskas, his first career goal!#LetsFly⚡️ pic.twitter.com/jAi5OjC5iy
— Air Force Hockey (@AF_HKY) December 6, 2020
The play was indicative of how much the Falcons had increased their pressure and were able to back off the Colonials’ defenders to some degree.
“I’m proud of our guys for persevering,” Serratore said. “They showed a lot of character and substance.”
Teachable moments
The outcome remained a dealer’s choice until RMU got a third power-play goal (from wing Justin Addamo) with 6:35 to go in the game. That turned the spotlight on a few things the Falcons need to repair.
“We’ve got to get off to a better start,” Serratore said. “But killing penalties starts on the (face-off) dot. They were better than we were (36-32, but 14-7 in the tide-turning first period).”
Up next: The Falcons play host to the U.S. National Team Development Program’s U18 team next Saturday and Sunday.
©First Line Editorial 2020
