Air Force scored two third-period goals to defeat Bentley, 4-3, in a non-conference game at the John Ryan Arena.
Air Force snapped its two-game losing streak and improved to 5-4 overall this season. Bentley fell to 1-4-1.
“We played OK tonight, but I don’t think we played as well as we can,” head coach Frank Serratore said. “Our power play has not been clicking, but we scored four even-strength goals and that is encouraging. Any road win is a good win, and now we are 3-2 on the road this season.”
Each team scored once in the first period and once in the second, leaving the score tied at 2-2 entering the third.
Bentley scored first as Ryan Lessnau scored at 12:24 of the first. Air Force quickly answered as Ryan Wiggins tied the game at 13:03. His fourth goal of the season was assisted by Mike Knaeble and Spanky Leonard.
Leonard’s second helper of the game gave the Falcons a 2-1 lead midway through the second as Matt Bader scored at 12:45. Bader has now scored a goal in five straight games, which ties as the longest goal-scoring streak by a Falcon since 1996-97.
With 34 seconds left in the second period, Brendan McCartin scored to tie the game at 2-2
“When it was 2-2 entering the third period, I told the guys that all we had to do was win a period and we would win the game,” said Serratore. “Then it was our third and fourth lines that scored the goals. That shows the kind of depth that we have on this team.”
Air Force took a 3-2 lead at 6:17 of the third period as junior Josh Priewe scored from Andrew Ramsey. The goal was his first of the season and the second of his career.
At the 12:02 mark of the third period, freshman Jay Medenwaldt scored the game-winner from fellow rookies Theo Zacour and Brandon Merkosky. With 2:42 remaining, Bentley’s John Hooks scored to cut the AFA lead to one goal. That was as close as Bentley would get as the team was unable to pull its goaltender in the final minute.
Each team was 0-for-7 on the power play. Air Force outshot Bentley, 31-28, in the game. AFA goalie Mike Polidor made 25 saves in the game while Bentley Simon St. Pierre made 27.
Air Force and Bentley conclude the two-game series Saturday at 7:35 p.m. EST.
