Air Force Academy

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY
ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
(719) 333-2313

DEC. 31, 2005

AIR FORCE AND RIT SKATE TO 2-2 TIE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE

U.S.A.F. ACADEMY, Colo. -- On New Year's Eve, nothing was settled at Cadet Ice Arena as Air Force and RIT skated to a 2-2 overtime tie in a non-conference college hockey game Saturday night, Dec. 31.

Air Force extended its unbeaten streak to three games as the Falcons' record stands at 4-9-1. RIT's record is now 5-12-2 this season.

RIT drew first blood with a goal just 71 seconds into the game. After Brian Gineo's shot off a faceoff was blocked, RIT started a two-on-two rush up the ice. Darrell Draper fed Bobby Raymond in the center of the ice and his shot from the top of the circles in the center beat Ian Harper high stick side.

Air Force answered at the 14:11 mark on the power play to tie the game at 1-1. Mike Knaeble gave the puck to Matt Bader at the left point. Bader skated the puck into the high slot and sent a wrister high towards the net. Andrew Ramsey snuck behind the defense at the right post and tipped it in for his third of the season.

Brent Patry's power-play goal at 5:13 of the second period gave RIT a 2-1 lead. Patry took a shot that hit the post, but collected his own rebound and scored his fifth of the season. The Falcons again came back to tie the game at the 15:11 mark as Knaeble scored his second of the season. Freshman Greg Flynn took a shot from the point that was deflected wide. Theo Zacour then dropped the puck to Knaeble, who walked out of the corner and scored from the bottom of the left circle.

Who knew at the time that Knaeble's goal would be the final marker of the game. Air Force out-shot RIT, 11-5, in the third period and had several quality scoring chances, but Tiger goalie Jocelyn Guimond again was stellar. RIT out-shot AFA, 5-3, in overtime but neither team was able to light the lamp.

Air Force out-shot RIT, 38-20 in the game, including a 21-8 mark over the final two periods. Guimond made 36 saves in the game and had 67 in the series. Falcon sophomore Ian Harper bounced back from a shaky start to make 18 saves. The first shot Harper faced was the goal by Raymond in the first period. AFA was 1-for-6 on the power play while RIT was 1-for-4.

The Falcons return to College Hockey America action Jan. 6-7 as the team travels to Alabama-Huntsville for a two-game series.

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