While it may never breed the depths of hatred among fans like the University of Denver\/Colorado College rivalry, the CC\/Air Force Academy rival is growing in strength now that the Fighting Falcons have a stronger program.<\/p>\n
In front of a sellout, standing-room only crowd of 7,750 at the Colorado Springs World Arena, the No. 3 Tigers (17-6, 15-3 WCHA) rode the strength of two power-play goals to defeat the Falcons (12-7-4, 9-6-3 AHA) 2-1 Saturday night.<\/p>\n
“The guys know it’s a rivalry,” said CC coach Scott Owens. “We’ve had success for a long, long time but there are always games like this. Last year, we won 2-1 up there and a 2-1 game tonight.”<\/p>\n
The Tigers came out flying in the first period, resulting in a CC shooting gallery. They outshot the Falcons 16-4 in the frame. Still, the Tigers only managed one goal in the period. With Eric Ehn in the box for tripping about eight minutes in, Bill Sweatt capitalized on a rebound opportunity and fired the puck past Falcons’ netminder Andrew Volkening (29 saves) to get the first marker of the contest.<\/p>\n
“I was very impressed with how CC came out,” said Air Force coach Frank Serratore. “CC came out exactly the opposite of how Denver came out last night, and I think probably for a couple of reasons. Number one, they dodged a bullet last night with Bemidji, dodged a big-time bullet. Also, they saw what we did to a Denver team that didn’t show up in the first period last night.<\/p>\n
“They very easily could have put us away, put that game away in the first period. It could have been three, four-nothing after the first period. They expended a tremendous amount of energy going for the knockout punch and fortunately for us, as great goaltenders do, Volkening didn’t allow it to happen. He kept us close.”<\/p>\n
The Falcons stayed with the Tigers up through the second period until CC received 1:36 of five-on-three hockey after an arguably fluky high sticking to the head penalty just off a face-off mid-way through the second period.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a contact to the head or a rough off of two guys taking a face-off before and even the players, the way they responded, we thought it was a mis-drop,” said Serratore. “It had to have been a fluky deal.<\/p>\n
“When you’re killing a penalty, your center isn’t going to conk someone on the head on purpose and put you down five-on-three.”<\/p>\n
With three seconds remaining in the two-man advantage, Stephen Schultz, standing on the door-step, knocked in a rebound past Volkening that the goaltender could not control after the initial shot banked off the boards to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
The Falcons lost star forward and former Hobey Baker candidate Eric Ehn 1:16 into the third period. Sweatt was trying to lift Ehn’s stick while chasing him down into the Tigers’ zone. Sweatt’s shoulder hit the post and Ehn went sliding legs-first into the end boards. Ehn was taken off on a stretcher and has, as of now, been diagnosed with a lower left leg injury and will be x-rayed tonight.<\/p>\n
While the loss is arguably a big one to the Falcons\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 squad, Serratore says it’s all part of the game.<\/p>\n
“The show must go on; it went on last night. We lost Matt Charbonneau last night, we lost [Josh] Print today before we lost Ehn and it’s a collision sport and people are going to get hurt and you have to move on.”<\/p>\n
From that moment on, the Falcons took over the game’s momentum, culminating in a goal around eight minutes later. Scott Kozlak in the low slot took a pass from Blake Page in the corner and wristed it up glove-side over Richard Bachman (25 saves).<\/p>\n
Despite a mad flurry of shots in the waning minutes of the game, the Tigers were able to hold on for the victory.<\/p>\n
“As a coach, as a former CC player, it’s a game you kinda look forward to, but then you’re really glad when it’s over, to be honest with you, because you’re relieved you didn’t get beat,” said Owens.<\/p>\n
The Falcons next travel to Army for a two-game series with the Black Knights while the Tigers travel to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a conference tilt with Michigan Tech.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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