US AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — RIT tied the game with 58 seconds left in regulation, then scored the game-winner 38 seconds into overtime for a 3-2 win over the Air Force in a the Atlantic Hockey Association on Friday, February 25. at the cadet arena.

RIT gained two AHA ranking points, while the Air Force gained one. With one game left in the regular season, the Air Force can still finish as high as sixth or as low as ninth. Sixth place would mean a first-round and road bye to the quarter-finals. The seventh and eighth seeds would host a first-round series while the ninth seed will be on the road in the first round.

RIT (16-13-4, 12-9-4 AHA) capitalized on an Air Force turnover late in the first period as Grady Hobbs scored from Carter Wilkie at 2:55. The Air Force (12-16-3, 10-12-3 AHA) tied the game late in the second period on the run. Does Gavin won the zone and dropped the puck at the left point. Bennett Norlin stung the puck Clayton Cosentino in the slot and the San Carlos, Calif. freshman tied the game at 16:10 of the second period.

Midway through the third period, the Falcons took a 2-1 lead. austin schwartz won a face-off in the offensive zone and Brian Adams broke a wrist from the right circle for his fifth goal of the season at 9:02. Towards the end of the third, bride blake drew a penalty putting the Falcons on the power play with 3:37 remaining. However, that was short-lived as a Falcon penalty nullified the man advantage and then gave the Tigers a late power play. The Tigers fired the goaltender for a 6-4 advantage with 1:15 left and Kobe Walker scored from the left circle to tie the game. In overtime, the Falcons flipped the puck in the neutral zone and RIT capitalized as Wilkie scored on the back door just 38 seconds into the extra frame.

Each team had 22 shots in the game. RIT was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Air Force was 0-for-3. Tommy Scarfone made 20 saves for the Tigers as Alex Schilling made 19 for the Falcons.

“We worked hard to get back into the game and then took the lead,” said the head coach. Frank Serratore noted. “But we self-destructed in the end. If we don’t find out soon, we won’t be late for this season.”

The Air Force and RIT conclude the 2021-22 series and regular season on Saturday, February 26 at 5:05 p.m. MT.

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