Air Force Academy

Falcons finish 3-1 on England exhibition trip

Nov. 23, 2001

Eight different Falcons scored goals as Air Force defeated the Coventry Blaze, 8-3, in an exhibition hockey game Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, in Coventry, England. The game was the final in a four-game road trip to England.

Air Force was 3-1 on a trip to England, playing teams from the British Findus National Ice Hockey League. The super division consists of many players with NHL experience. AFA is playing teams from the second division, a group of former college and minor league (IHL, WCHL, ECHL, etc) players.

"We are very happy with our performance on the trip," assistant coach Derek Schooley said. "Our guys showed a lot of guts and determination in playing four games in four nights. Nine players played all four games against some pretty good teams."

Facing the Blaze, a team tied for first in the league on their Olympic-size sheet of ice, the Falcons, who play home games on the smaller NHL-size sheet, faced a huge challenge.

Showing no signs of being tired, the Falcons scored the first four goals of the game and never looked back. Buck Kozlowski scored on a rebound from Jace Anders and Seth Pelletier with three minutes remaining in the first period. AFA out-shot Coventry, 11-6, in the first period, but Blaze goalie Barry Hollyhead was solid in the pipes.

Air Force scored five goals in the second period. Falcon junior Andy Berg's slap shot on the power play gave AFA a 2-0 lead at 4:57. His blast from the point came from Spanky Leonard and Derek Olson. Three minutes later, Pelletier scored on a three-on-one breakaway from Anders and Brian Reaney. Pelletier, who had a hand in on three of AFA's four goals, set up Kyle Fransdal who scored from his knees at 11:26 of the second period for a 4-0 lead. Coventry got on the board at the 14:13 mark as Mathies Soderstrom scored on a three-on-two.

"Coventry was the best team we played on the trip, but we broke their spirit early," Schooley said. "In the final four minutes of the second period, we really hurt them with two goals."

Shane Saum and Brian Rodgers scored in the final minutes of the second period as the Falcons went into the second intermission with a 6-1 lead. Brian Rodgers gave Shane Saum a great pass in transition. Falcon goalie Mike Polidor, who made 19 saves in the game, was given an assist on the goal at 15:48. With five seconds left in the period, Rodgers scored on a power play from Anders and Joe Locallo.

Each team scored twice in the third period. Coventry out-shot the Falcons, 11-10, in the final period as Air Force began to tire. Olson and Ryan Wiggins scored goals for the Falcons. Olson's goal was assisted by Berg and Spanky Leonard. Wiggins tapped in a great pass from Saum at 7:53.

AFA out-shot Coventry, 42-22, in the game. The Falcons were 3-for-8 on the power play while the Blaze did not have a power-play opportunity. Air Force was called for just one penalty, a coincidental minor in the first period.

Nine Falcons, Locallo, Wiggins, Berg, Justin Hamilton, Tom Starkey, Reaney, Leonard, Scott Zwiers and Saum played all four games in four straight nights.

Air Force freshman Seth Pelletier, who had one goal and two assists, was named the "Man of the Match". Coventry's Steve Roberts, who scored two goals, was the Blaze's "Man of the Match". Anders had three assists for the Falcons while Berg, Leonard, Olson, Rodgers and Saum all had two points in the game.

Air Force, 3-7 overall this season, returns to regular-season action with the fourth annual Radisson Inn Hockey Classic hosted by the Academy, Thursday-Friday, Nov. 29-30. Air Force will battle Manhattanville, Minnesota-Crookston and New England College for the tournament championship.

Air Force Falcons 8, Coventry Blaze 3
AF	1	5	2	8
CB	0	1	2	3
First Period: AFA 1 - Buck Kozlowski (Jace Anders, Seth Pelletier), 17:00.
Second Period: AFA 2 - Andy Berg (Spanky Leonard, Derek Olson), PPG, 4:57;
AFA 3 - Seth Pelletier (Jace Anders, Brian Reaney), 7:27;
AFA 4 - Kyle Fransdal (Seth Pelletier), 11:26;
CB - 1 - Mathies Soderstrom (unassisted), 14:13;
AFA 5 - Shane Saum (Brian Rodgers, Mike Polidor), 15:48;
AFA 6 - Brian Rodgers (Jace Anders, Joe Locallo), 19:55.
Third Period: CB 2 - Steve Roberts (unassisted), :30;
AFA 7 - Derek Olson (Andy Berg, Spanky Leonard), 2:27;
CB 3 - Steve Roberts (Mathies Soderstrom), 4:56;
AFA 8 - Ryan Wiggins (Shane Saum), 7:53.
Shots on Goal: AFA - 42; CB - 22.