Air Force had the equalizer against AIC, but the Yellow Jackets had the game-winner.

After the Falcons tied Friday’s AHA quarterfinal game with eight minutes remaining, AIC’s Josh Barnes scored the go-ahead goal minutes later to seal the Yellow Jackets’ 3-1 win.

AIC’s win gives the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

“We just gave them everything we had,” junior Andrew DeCarlo said. “We were getting pucks in the net, we were working them in the net. … We just couldn’t get that last finish.”

For the first two and a half periods, the Falcons had plenty of chances — but they couldn’t capitalize.

AIC scored just seven minutes into the game, putting Air Force in an early hole.

The Falcons went on the offensive and steadily put shots on the Yellow Jackets’ net. With nine minutes left in the game, Air Force led AIC 25-16 in shots.

And then, finally, Air Force found the net. DeCarlo intercepted a puck behind AIC’s net, skated toward the goal and wrapped it past Yellow Jackets goalie Nils Walstrom with 8:42 left.

But just as Air Force snatched the momentum, AIC took it right back.

Yellow Jackets forward Josh Barnes found space left of Air Force’s net and fired a wrister past Falcon goalie Guy Blessing with 4:49 left. Air Force pulled Blessing with two minutes left for an extra skater, but the Falcons didn’t convert and AIC scored an empty-netter to seal its win.

“We didn’t get the bounces we would’ve liked to tonight, but I feel like we played a pretty good game,” DeCarlo said.

Air Force outshot 32-18, but only one of those 32 went in. Still, Air Force coach Frank Serratore was pleased with his team’s offensive effort, aside from the Falcons’ five-minute power play in the second period, which they didn’t score on.

“I don’t know what else we could’ve done,” Serratore said. “We didn’t get a fortuitous bounce. You have to be good in hockey, but you also have to be a little lucky. We didn’t get any of that tonight.”

The Falcons (18-18-1) played one home series against the Yellow Jackets in the regular season. Air Force won the first game of the regular-season series, while AIC won the second.

Air Force will need to win on Saturday to keep its season alive. With a win in Game 2, the Falcons would play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday afternoon.

Even after a disappointing start to Air Force’s postseason, the Falcons’ gritty effort in Game 1 gives them confidence before Saturday.

“I feel bad for our guys,” Serratore said. “They played their hearts out. Other than not scoring on the five-minute major, if we could replicate our performance tomorrow, I’d take it.

“We have to get some rest. We need that same dogged, determined effort tomorrow that we had today. If AIC can overcome that tomorrow or the next two games, good for them, they move on. All we can control is what we can control.”