Wayne State scored three third-period goals for a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Air Force in a College Hockey America game Friday in Detroit. Wayne State is in first place in the CHA with 14 points while the Falcons are sixth, having lost all seven conference games.
“We didn’t get very many shots tonight and had too many turnovers,” head coach Frank Serratore said. “You have to give them credit. They played a solid game. We just need to keep working hard and eventually we’ll get one.”
Air Force held a 2-1 lead after two periods, but Wayne State scored two goals in the first two minutes of the third period. After Air Force tied the game midway through the third period, Wayne State’s Keith Stanich scored the game-winner with 6:13 remaining.
Wayne State (10-8-3, 6-1-2 CHA), outshot the Falcons 31-15 overall, including a 24-6 advantage in the first two periods. Despite a 12-1 shooting differential in the opening period, the game was scoreless after one.
The Warriors took the lead when John Grubb scored four minutes into the first period.
Three minutes later, Derek Olson tied the game on a one-timer in the slot. Josh Priewe chipped the puck up the ice and behind the net where Shane Saum battled for the puck on the boards. Saum sent a pass from behind the net to Olson for his 12th goal of the season.
Air Force took its first lead of the game at 16:58 as Spanky Leonard scored an unassisted goal.
Wayne State erased the lead just 13 seconds into the second period as John Brink scored off a Falcon turnover in their own end. Two minutes later, Nathan Rosychuk walked the puck through the high slot and scored on a wrister for a 3-2 lead.
Olson’s second goal of the game tied the score, 3-3, at the 8:33 mark of the third period. Andy Berg made the pass to a wide-open Olson who scored on a five-on-three power play from the bottom of the right circle.
Rosychuk set up the game-winning goal as he drove down the left wing and took a shot that was saved by Mike Polidor. As a Falcon defenseman tried to get the puck out of danger, Warrior Keith Stanich crashed the net for a 4-3 lead at the 13:29 mark.
Polidor came off the ice with 1:14 remaining in favor of an extra skater, but Air Force was unable to tie the game. Olson was called for a high-sticking penalty with 57 seconds remaining and the Falcons skated five-on-five with no goaltender.
Polidor made 27 saves for the Falcons while Warrior goalie David Guerrera stopped 12 of the 15 shots he faced. The Falcons were just 1-for-7 on the power play with only two shots on goal. WSU was 0-for-7 on the power play.
The Falcons (9-10, 0-7), lost their third straight. They were swept as a six-game winning streak ended at Findlay last weekend in Ohio.
Air Force concludes the series with Wayne State, Saturday, Jan. 12, at 7:05 p.m. ET.
