WEST POINT — Blake Bride scored with 4:30 left in overtime as Air Force defeated Army, 5-4, in game one of the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals in West Point.
Bride’s first career game-winner puts the Falcons one victory from winning the series and advancing to the AHA Final Four in Utica.
Air Force had a season high 51 shots on goal while Army had 37. Army was 1-for-3 on the power play and Air Force was 1-for-2. Gavin Abric made 46 saves for the Black Knights. Schilling made 33 for the Falcons.
“It was a great hockey game, maybe not the cleanest, but it was entertaining,” head coach Frank Serratore said. “I was surprised with how many goals were scored. I liked our effort and resiliency. It was not a masterpiece at all, but it was a classic Air Force –Army playoff game. Now the task in front of us is the most difficult task in hockey, ending someone’s season. This Army team is a proud, good, hard-nosed, veteran team and they don’t want this season to end. We know we are going to get a great effort from Army on Saturday.”
Game two of the quarterfinal series in Saturday, March 12, at 7:05 pm ET at Tate Rink in West Point. Air Force has never lost a playoff series to Army, and will look to continue that streak on Saturday as a win would advance them to the AHA Final Four in Utica.
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