Four different Falcons scored goals as Air Force upset No. 15 Bemidji State, 4-3, in a CHA game Friday at the Cadet Ice Arena. The game was the first conference game for both teams.
Air Force broke a 13-game losing streak to the Beavers. Falcon coach Frank Serratore also earned his first win over his younger brother, Tom. Tom was 15-0-1 in the last 16 games against his older brother.
The Falcons broke a four-game losing streak and improved to 2-5 overall and 1-0 in the CHA. BSU suffered its first defeat of the season and fell to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the CHA.
On the game’s opening shift, Air Force scored as Brian Gineo netted his third of the season. After winning the opening draw, Theo Zacour’s shot hit the post from the right faceoff dot. Mike Knaeble passed it though the crease to Gineo at the far post for a 1-0 lead 13 seconds into the game.
Freshman Mike Phillipich’s first career goal came at the 8:31 mark from Eric Ehn and Michael Mayra on a wrister from the faceoff circle. The Falcons took a 3-0 lead when Jay Medenwaldt scored his third of the season. Brooks Turnquist made a pass up the ice and Knaeble chased it near the corner. He made a pass back to the top of the circle to Medenwaldt who was skating down the left wing. His slap shot beat Matt Climie at the 16:08 mark of the first period.
With 3:37 left in the period, Falcon center Theo Zacour was called for a five-minute checking-from-behind major and an automatic game misconduct. With 49 seconds left in the period, Bryan Becker was called for high sticking, giving the Beavers a five-on-three. With five seconds left in the period, Tyler Scofield scored from right in front of the net from Ryan Miller and Luke Erickson. Miller tipped a pass through the slot to Scofield near the right post and he netted his first of the season.
Bemidji scored early in the second period while still on the major penalty power play. Erickson collected the puck near the corner and sent a centering pass through the crease. Matt Pope tipped it in to make the score 3-2 at the 1:19 mark.
With just 38 seconds left in the second period, Turnquist scored his second of the season on the power play. Andrew Ramsey and Brian Reese passed the puck from the corner to the point and then across to Turnquist whose slap shot beat Climie.
Early in the third period, Jake Bluhm cut the Falcon lead to 3-2 with his second goal of the season. Erickson sent the puck up the boards and Bluhm scored on a breakaway coming down the right wing.
With 28 seconds left, BSU pulled Climie from the net, but was unable to tie the game.
Air Force out-shot BSU, 10-5 in the first period and 25-22 in the game. AFA was 1-for-7 on the power play while BSU was 2-for-6. Climie made 21 saves while Foster made 19 for the Falcons.
The same two teams conclude the CHA series Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the Cadet Ice Arena.
