Air Force holds on for win in opener against ranked MSU
It wasn’t pretty – nearly giving up a four-goal lead never is — but Air Force pulled ahead early and held on late to knock off No. 8 Michigan State, 6-5, Thursday night.
Whether it’s 8-1 Falcons — which it looked like it could be midway at one point or 1-0 — this win was important for an Air Force program finding their footing after last season.
“We don’t win enough for me to apologize for an ugly win,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “We bent, we bent big time, but we didn’t break. We got the late empty-netter and the Falcons have another win over a Top Ten team.”
Air Force will need a more consistent performance in Friday’s Game 2 if they hope to complete the sweep against a likely motivated MSU squad.
On Thursday, Air Force was the aggressor in the first 35 minutes. The 2-1 Falcons played sound defensive hockey (27 shot blocks) and forced the Spartans to work hard at every turn.
“(MSU) came out looking for it to be easy and we didn’t let it be easy,” Serratore said. “Michigan State is No. 8 in the country for a reason so we knew they would come back.”
After going ahead 5-1, it looked like the rout was on, but the Spartans responded with two goals over the final 3:23 of the second period to put the result in doubt until Holt Oliphant scored an empty-net power-play goal with 1:26 left for a 6-4 lead and the eventual game-winner.
MSU added an extra-attacker goal with 4.5 seconds left for the final margin.
It seemed almost too easy for the Falcons early on. The Big Ten member Spartans (2-1) pulled within 3-1 after a goal by Red Savage midway through the second period to seize momentum, for all of 11 seconds.
The Falcons answered when freshman fourth-liner Brendan Gibbons scored his first NCAA goal off the assist by first-year center Owen Dubois to regain the three-goal lead with 10:08 left. Air Force junior Clayton Consentino added another to delight the Cadet Ice Arena crowd, but the Spartans nearly spoiled the party.
Dubois scored his first two collegiate goals and assisted another to spark Air Force early while rookie linemates Gibbons (goal, assist) and Nick Remissong (two assists) gave the Falcons the lead for good, even though the win was much in doubt until the final seconds.
“That freshman line has been playing well in practice and it showed tonight,” said senior Parker Brown, who made it 3-0 late in the first period. “Anytime you nearly lose a 5-1 lead it’s ugly but it’s the final score every asks about. A big win like this is very important for us.”
Air Force forward Will Gavin battles Michigan State defenseman Matt Basgall in the first period Oct. 12 at the Cadet Ice Arena at the Air Force Academy.
