Some losses hurt more than others, and Saturday night’s 8-0 defeat at to No. 11 Denver at Magness Arena was an example of that.

The Pioneers played a more aggressive  game than Friday, and it translated to a dominant performance that chased starting goaltender Alex Schilling 9:35 into the second period after Denver scored its fifth goal of the game on its 26th shot.

A potentially bigger loss is that of co-captain Luke Rowe to injury. The sophomore defenseman appeared labored after a first period collision and he did not return to the bench for the second period.

An absence of Rowe for any extended period would be devastating given he is one of the team’s primary emotional and physical tone setters. He had goals in each of the Falcons’ first two games and is one of their most willing body checkers.

The last time Air Force game up eight goals was an 8-2 loss at Mercyhurst on Nov. 2, 2013. It was the Falcons’ worst loss since a 7-0 setback to then No. 10 Denver on Nov. 11, 2014.

Here are three other observations from the game.

Keys to the game

Falcons coach Frank Serratore talked about the need to score first in a game after Friday’s loss. That didn’t happen, and neither did a few other items on the must-do list.

Air Force struggled to sustain any sort of consistent offensive pressure, something might have mitigated Denver’s constant pressure at least a little. The Falcons did, however, generate 25 shots on goal – five more than Friday.

The lack of offense continues to be a problem, the Falcons now have scored just five goals in four games, an average of 1.25 per game.

It also struggled much more in the face-off circle, winning just 23 of 64 draws (35.9 percent).

And it didn’t stay out of the penalty box. Two of Pioneers sharp shooter Carter Savoie‘s three goals came on the power play, as did Cameron Wright‘s strike in the third period. The Falcons took four penalties in the second period, two of which ended up in the back of the net, and two more in the third, another of which resulted in a PPG.

Close calls

The Falcons had a couple of chances to take a lead or tie the score in the first period but could not cash in either against freshman goaltender Matt Davis, who was making his first NCAA start.

First, freshman center Andrew DeCarlo was sprung down the left wing and skated in hard on Davis, who stopped his backhand attempt. Next, freshman defenseman Drake Usher had a partial breakaway through the right circle that Davis stopped on his right doorstep. Usher, however, drew a penalty on the play.

A goal by DeCarlo would have given Air Force its first lead of the season. One by Usher would have cut DU’s lead to 2-1.

Will Gavin also had a good chance against Davis on a third-period breakaway.

Going to the bullpen

We now have an answer as to whom is the No. 2 goalie is in the Air Force pecking order. Junior Austin Park relieved Schilling after the senior co-captain surrendered a fifth goal to Denver – and a third to Savoie, who now has five goals in four games.

The move came one night after Schilling stopped 42 of 46 DU shots and kept the Falcons close in a hotly contested game.

Park wasn’t tested nearly as much as Schilling was in the second period, and that was due in part to Air Force picking up its play late in the second period. The Falcons finally established some offensive zone time and increased their physical play.

Park was dented early in the third on a snap shot by Denver captain Cole Guttman, a tally that gave DU a 6-0 lead and again by Wright’s goal and a late Massimo Rizzo tally off an odd-man rush. Park made 13 saves on the 16 shots he faced.

Notes

Denver honored its 2020 Hall of Fame class during the first intermission. The group included former hockey coach George Gwozdecky, who replaced Serratore as the Pioneers head coach in 1994. … One Denver area player, Jacob Marti of Highlands Ranch, played for the Falcons in place of forward Blake Bride, who is from Broomfield. … Next weekend Air Force travels to suburban St. Louis to play Lindenwood, which is preparing to enter Division I next season.

©First Line Editorial 2021