After scoring one goal in three games, Air Force rolled into Bentley and dropped a 10-spot for a weekend sweep.
AFA scored four times in the third period on Saturday for a 7-3 victory at Waltham, Mass., one night after a 3-1 victory.
Will Gavin scored three power-play goals, giving him a team-high 13, and Mitchell Digby, Mason McCormick, Brian Adams and Luke Robinson each added single tallies. Clayton Cosentino had three assists and Luke Rowe added two.
The full six-point Atlantic Hockey sweep was Air Force’s first since Jan. 21-22, 2022 at Mercyhurst.
Air Force (10-11-1, 7-4-1) scored the first two goals of the game for the second night in a row, but unlike Friday, the hosts tied the score on Saturday when Kellan Hjartarson scored with 48 seconds left in the second period. That goal came after AFA leading scorer Chris Hedden received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a contact-to-the-head penalty.
Air Force, however, reasserted itself in the third. McCormick scored on a rebound after Rowe’s shot hit the far post of Bentley’s Connor Hasley (17 saves) 4:23 in. Adams tallied five minutes later, and Gavin got his third on a power play with 7:38 to go. Robinson scored on a slapshot from the slot during a four-on-four situation late in the third.
It’s no surprise that special teams played a big role because the teams took a combined 18 penalties totaling 47 minutes. Air Force was 3-for-8 on the PP and killed off 6 of 8 Bentley power plays.
Guy Blessing continued his strong play of the past six weeks, making 23 saves. The win moved Air Force into fifth place in the AHA standings.
Notes
Air Force’s good news didn’t end with the sweep of Bentley. The Gazette reported Rowe received an extra 11-day extension that will allow him to continue to play for the rest of the regular season. Given that he’s tied with Gavin for second on the Falcons with 20 points (one behind Hedden) and is the team’s top defender, this is a coup for AFA. Rowe’s NCAA career originally was scheduled to end with this series because he’d graduated in December and classes resume at the Academy this week. … Adams’ goal was his first of the season, making him the third Falcons forward to notch his first goal this weekend. Andrew DeCarlo and Nate Horn got their first on Friday. … Air Force will play host to third-place AIC next Friday and Saturday.
©First Line Editorial 2024
