COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado College checked many boxes Saturday night with a dominating 8-1 victory over Air Force at Ed Robson Arena.
The first win in the team's new home, retaining the Pikes Peak Trophy and tying a conference record with six power-play goals.
Eight different players scored for CC, which improved its all-time series record against the Falcons to 64-14-2.
Matthew Gleason had a goal and two assists, while Nate Schweitzer and Brett Chorske each notched their first career goal and added a helper, and Dominica Basse turned away 16 Air Force shots.
The Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 5:37 mark of the first period when Logan Will scored his third goal of the season and second in as many nights.
Will took a pass from Danny Weight and placed a shot over Air Force goalie Alex Schilling's right shoulder from the top of the right circle. Bryan Yoon also assisted in the play.
The Falcons had a golden opportunity to tie the game when the puck took a bad bounce from the backboard directly to the slot, but AFA's Bennett Norlin hit the left post as Basse was expecting to play the puck behind the net.
After allowing 35 shots on Friday in the 5-4 overtime loss, the Tigers clamped down on defense from the beginning, giving up just three shots on goal in the first period.
Hunter McKown made it 2-0 at the 1:12 mark of the second period with the first of CC's six power-play goals. Later in the frame, the flood gates opened when the Tigers scored three times during a five-minute man advantage after Will Gavin was whistled for a checking from behind major and given a game misconduct.
Jordan Biro, Gleason, and Chorske scored within a span of 1:38 to make it 5-0 and put the game out of reach.
Nate Horn scored Air Force's lone goal just 1:41 into the third period, but another five-minute checking from behind major against AFA's Luke Robinson netted power-play goals from Schweitzer and Nick Andrews. Tyler Coffey closed out the scoring with his third of the season midway through the final period.
The Tigers were 6-for-11 on the power play while killing four of its five penalties. Air Force played both of its backup goalies after Schilling gave up five goals in 35 minutes.
Colorado College returns to action next weekend, Nov. 5-6, against the No. 1-ranked team in the country, St. Cloud State, at Ed Robson Arena.
