Goals early in a period often are momentum shifters.

Air Force got three of them Friday night, the last when Parker Brown turned on the afterburners on a rush to score 53 seconds into overtime and lift the Falcons to a crucial 4-3 victory against Mercyhurst.

Brown took a pass from Brandon Koch in the neutral zone and was off to the races, beating Lakers goalie Tyler Harmon in tight to give Air Force (9-16-2, 5-11-1) two vital points in the Atlantic Hockey standings.

The Falcons remained in last place, but they cut their deficit to two points behind ninth-place Bentley and five behind eighth-place Canisius for the conference’s final playoff berth. The top eight teams will qualify for the AHA quarterfinals. Air Force, which has two games in hand on Bentley and series upcoming against Canisius in a week and a half, has won three of its past five games and has an opportunity to move further up the standings in Saturday’s rematch.

The Falcons showed plenty of fortitude on Friday.

After Koch gave them 1-0 lead 2:40 into the game, the Lakers scored twice on goals by Steven Agriogianis and Carson Briere in a 2:03 span to take a 2-1 lead just 5:30 in. After that, Falcons goalie Maiszon Balboa, Atlantic Hockey’s Goalie of the Week, was rock solid, stopping 30 shots.

Willie Reim scored for the second game in row, just 54 seconds into the second period to tie it however briefly. Gueorgui Feduolov re-established Mercyhurst’s lead 3:35 later, and that 3-2 margin is how things stood until halfway through the third period. Freshman Mason McCormick tied it on a tenacious play at the net. Harmon, a grad transfer from Vermont, lost track of Sam Brennan’s shot under his pads, and McCormick stormed the net and poked the puck in. It was the center’s second goal in as many games.

The game got progressively chippier, but neither side could make the other pay for their transgressions.

Brown then wasted little time putting a bow on things for the Falcons to keep their playoff hopes on the front burner.

Notes: Neither team scored on the power play; Air Force was 0-for-4, while Mercyhurst was 0-for-3. … The Falcons had a small edge in the circle, winning the face-off battle 32-30. … The rematch is Saturday at 5 p.m.

©First Line Editorial 2023