The Air Force hockey team blew a two-goal, second-period lead, then rallied from behind in the third Friday for a much-needed tie, enabling the Falcons to move into first place in their conference and match the nation’s longest unbeaten streak.

A 3-3 draw at Cadet Ice Arena puts Air Force one point ahead of idle Rochester Institute of Technology in the Atlantic Hockey Association and runs its unbeaten streak (6-0-4) to 10 games, tied with RIT for the longest in the country.

The Falcons (8-5-4, 8-1-4 AHA) held a 52-29 shot advantage, including a 16-1 edge the first, but they were scoreless on four power plays, and Andrew Volkening (26 saves) hit a lull in the second as Ryan Zapolski (49 saves) found his rhythm. Mercyhurst (8-9-2, 8-5-2) went 0-for-5 on the power play.

Air Force took a 2-0 lead midway through the second, getting goals from Stephen Carew and Matt Fairchild within a two-minute span. Mercyhurst then surged ahead 3-2, as Mike Gurtler scored late in the second and Derek Elliott and Scott Pitt tallied in the first eight minutes of the third. Jeff Hajner’s goal helped Air Force pull even with 11 minutes left.

Both teams had chances in overtime. Zapolski blocked Jacques Lamoureux’s backhander from the right circle, and he twice stopped Tim Kirby, from inside the blue line and from the left circle on a backhanded attempt. Volkening thwarted Gurtler between the circles before making a nifty save on Jeff Terminisi’s wrist shot off a faceoff.

Air Force coach Frank Serratore said Mercyhurst has “some savvy guys. If you give them odd-numbered situations, they’re going to covert. … It’s a volume thing. We have a very difficult time scoring goals. We probably had 10 or 12 odd-numbered situations. I don’t know if we had two quality shots off all those.”

Serratore doesn’t pin the blame on Volkening.

“It’s not like Andrew let any stinkers in,” he said. “To be honest with you, he should sue his (defensive corps) for a lack of support.”

Etc.

Lamoureux’s twin sisters, Jocelyne and Monique, were among the 2,011 in attendance. They’re playing for the U.S. women’s ice hockey team, which faces Canada tonight in a pre-Olympic tour game at Magness Arena in Denver. … The Jan. 8 game vs. Connecticut was moved up an hour to 6:05 p.m. It will air on CBS College Sports. … All fans tonight will receive a present at the turnstile through Air Force’s “stocking stuffer” promotion. … Final exams at the academy begin today and last through Tuesday.

AIR FORCE 3, MERCYHURST 3

Mercyhurst    0 1 2 0 – 3

Air Force        0 2 1 0 – 3

First period – None. Penalties – Eddy, Mercyhurst (elbowing), 11:37. Durham, Air Force (elbowing), 19:50.

Second – 1. Air Force, Carew 3 (Kirby), 13:10. 2. Air Force, Fairchild 6 (Lamoureux, Burnett), 14:51. 3. Mercyhurst, Gurtler 5 (Bremner, Cameron), 16:41. Penalties – Pitt, Mercyhurst (slashing), 2:58. Williams, Air Force (interference), 5:30. Kirby, Air Force (high-sticking), 7:31. Bremner, Mercyhurst (hitting after whistle), 10:13. Hajner, Air Force (interference), 11:13. Carkin, Mercyhurst (tripping), 11:13. Mathis, Air Force (cross-checking), 17:11.

Third – 4. Mercyhurst, Elliott 4 (Blakey, Coccimiglio), 1:55. 5. Mercyhurst, Pitt 6 (Cameron, Goebel), 7:32. 6. Air Force, Hajner 5 (Kozlak), 9:00. Penalties – Kozlak, Air Force (elbowing), 9:00. Bremner, Mercyhurst (interference), 11:55.

Overtime – None. Penalties – None.

Shots on goal – Mercyhurst 1-13-12-3-29. Air Force 16-15-15-6-52. Power-play opportunities – Mercyhurst 0 of 5. Air Force 0 of 4. Goalies – Mercyhurst, Zapolski 16-13-14-6 (52 shots-49 saves). Air Force, Volkening 1-12-10-3 (29 shots-26 saves). A – 2,011. T – 2:20. Referees – Chris Foote, Jim Visconte. Linesmen – Scott Staudte, B.J. Ringrose.

Air Force’s Blake Page was stopped by Mercyhurst goalie Ryan Zapolski in the first period Friday night. Zapolski finished with 49 saves. Photo by MARIAH TAUGER, THE GAZETTE

Photo by