Ed Robson Arena doesn’t look like a haunted house, but you’d have a hard time convincing Air Force that it isn’t.

For the second time in two games against Colorado College at the Tigers’ home barn, the Falcons struggled mightily, falling 8-0. A year ago, with a chance to reclaim the Pike’s Peak Trophy on the line, the Falcons lost, 8-1. After Friday’s loss, the trophy will stay put for another year.

Air Force’s propensity for taking penalties at the Ed again cost it dearly. CC cashed in on four of its nine chances.

And just like last season’s loss, Friday’s included a costly major penalty – this from co-captain Willie Reim. With Air Force down 2-0 at the time, Reim took a boarding penalty that not only put the Falcons down a man for five minutes but ended his night. He could potentially miss Saturday’s rematch at Cadet Arena as well if he is suspended.

The offensive acumen of the senior, who entered the game as Air Force’s co-scoring leader with eight points and four goals, was missed. The Falcons generated quality chances against CC’s Matt Vernon but could not cash them in.

New York Rangers draft pick Noah Laba scored the first of his two goals during the five-minute power play to make it 3-0, and Ethan Straky built the lead to 4-0 with 4:53 left in the second. Goals by Logan Will and Gleb Veremyev 2:05 apart midway through the first staked the Tigers to a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons (2-4-1) came out flat to start the third period, and CC (3-4) capitalized, scoring twice more in the first 1:47 and four times in all. The opening salvo ended starting goalie Guy Blessing’s night after 16 saves on 21 shots, though he didn’t have much of a chance on a handful of them. Junior Maiszon Balboa (four saves and three goals) and senior Austin Park (five saves) succeeded him in net.

Beyond CC’s offensive onslaught, aided by the Falcons’ man-advantage generosity, the story of the game was the play of Vernon. The senior, who is in a time share with freshman Kaidan Mbereko, was superlative, stopping all 30 Air Force shots, including a pair of prime scoring chances by Parker Brown midway through the third period.

Colorado College snapped a four-game losing streak, while Air Force lost its second in a row and third in five games. The rematch is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Cadet Arena, where Air Force won, 5-4, in overtime last year.

Notes: Junior center Jake Marti and senior defenseman Andrew Kruse returned to the Falcons lineup Friday after recuperating from injuries. It was Kruse’s first game of the season. A defenseman by trade, he ended up playing some forward after Reim’s ejection.

©First Line Editorial 2022