Air Force Academy

Jan. 8, 2004

Box Score

Freshman Theo Zacour scored two goals to lead Air Force to a 5-2 win over Wayne State in a College Hockey America game Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Cadet Ice Arena.

Air Force broke a four-game winless skid and improved to 8-11-2 overall and 2-6-1 in the CHA. Wayne State lost its fourth straight game and fell to 5-12-2 overall and 1-6 in the CHA. The win gives Air Force five league points and moves the Falcons into sole possession of fourth place. AFA is also just one point behind third-place Alabama-Huntsville.

Freshman Brandon Merkosky gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead at the 6:01 mark of the first period. Billy Devoney made a pass through the neutral zone that hit Merkosky on the tape at the blue line. His breakaway goal was his fifth of the season. One minute later, Zacour gave the Falcons a two-goal lead. His sixth of the season came on the power play from Brooks Turnquist and Brian Gineo. Through the first 12 minutes, AFA had an 11-1 shot advantage. WSU got on the board late in the first period as Billy Collins scored his third of the season. The goal came on the Warriors third shot of the game. Collins was wide open in the slot and took a pass from Taylor Donohoe off the boards.

AFA scored the first two goals of the second period and took a 4-1 lead. Zacour's second of the game came on the power play as he rebounded a shot by Turnquist. Sophomore Mike Knaeble scored AFA's fourth goal from Steve Mead and Shane Saum. Mead skated the puck through the Warrior defense and found Knaeble for his fifth of the season and his first goal in the last 13 games. WSU again scored the final goal of the period as Collins scored his second of the game at the 17:40 mark. His goal was assisted by John May and John Grubb.

The only goal of the third period came from Falcon senior Adam Larson. The unassisted goal was his first career point as he was playing in his third game of the season and just the 14th of his career.

Air Force outshot Wayne State in the first and third period and had a 32-23 advantage in the game. The Falcons were 2-for-6 on the power play while WSU was 0-for-4. Falcon senior goalie Mike Polidor made 21 saves while WSU sophomore Matt Kelly made 27.

"This was a big win for us," head coach Frank Serratore said. "The difference was that we scored goals tonight and we scored on the power play. Our special teams were solid. This win was a relief more than anything else. We have some players banged up, but everyone contributed tonight."

The same two teams conclude the series on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7:05 p.m. at the Cadet Ice Arena.

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