Ice Hockey 12/9/2007 12:00:00 AM Canisius College Athletics

Hockey Ties Air Force

USAF Academy, Colo. ? For the second-consecutive evening, the Canisius College hockey team and the Air Force Falcons battled to a 3-3 draw. The Griffs weathered an early storm and rallied to tie Atlantic Hockey's top team.

“We showed a willingness to go head-to-head with a first-place team,” said Canisius College head coach Dave Smith. “We got down early. We tell our team all the time that the power play can do a lot of things. It can extend your lead or it can get you back in games and that is what it did tonight.”

Sophomore Chris Forsman (pictured) and senior David Kasch both tallied power-play goals and sophomore Jason Weeks also scored to round out the Canisius scoring. Freshman Vincent Scarsella paced the Griffs' offense with two assists.

Sophomore Andrew Loewen stopped 40 shots in net, including 20 saves in the third and three in overtime, to earn the draw.

The Falcons started the game strong and jumped to an early two-goal advantage thanks to a pair of goals by Brett Olson. The junior fired a shot in at the 8:29 mark on a 5-on-3 power play to give Air Force the early advantage. Olson found the back of the net once again with 5:52 left in the period.

The Griffs (3-10-3, 3-6-2 Atlantic Hockey) did not back down and quickly fought back from their early deficit. Forsman tallied his fourth goal of the season with 2:30 left in the period. During an extra-man advantage, Forsman fought for the puck in the corner and passed it to Scarsella behind the net. Scarsella then gave it back to a cutting Forsman for the power-play score.

Canisius would knot the game with another power-play score at the end of the first frame. As time was winding down in the period, the Griffs skated down the ice and sent the puck into their offensive zone. Scarsella quickly found the puck and sent it crossing toward Kasch, who knocked it in with four seconds remaining in the period. Sophomore Josh Heidinger also tallied an assist on the score.

Jeff Hajner would help the Falcons (9-4-2, 7-4-2 Atlantic Hockey) reclaim the lead early in the second period. Hajner scored on a 2-on-1 breakaway 3:58 into the frame for his sixth goal of the season.

The Griffs would knot the game with another late score in the second period. On a 4-on-4 situation, Air Force would turn the puck over, giving Canisius numbers the other way. Sophomore Carl Hudson sent a crossing pass toward junior Spencer Churchill. Churchill fired a shot toward net but the Air Force goalie made the save. Weeks cleaned up the rebound and knocked the puck in for his fifth score of the season.

Weeks' goal would be the last of the evening. After a slow start Loewen was very impressive in net, stopping the last 30 shots he faced.

Both teams tallied early power-play goals but the penalty kill units stepped up their game in the later periods. Canisius was 2-for-8 on the extra-man advantage, while the Falcons went 1-for-6.

The Griffs are off for three weeks before hosting Niagara on Dec. 30. The two rivals will meet at the Buffalo State Sports Arena in a Battle of the Bridge match with game time set at 7:05 p.m.

Game Notes: Air Force's first goal of the game was the first power-play score allowed by the Griffs in league play since Nov. 9 ... Canisius scored four first-period goals during the two-game series after totaling five scores in the opening period during the season's first 15 games ... Weeks extended his goal-scoring streak to a career-best four games ... Churchill posted his ninth point of the season, matching a career-high total ... The Griffs tied both games of a weekend series for the first time Jan. 10 and 11, 2003 against Lake Superior State.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Spencer Churchill: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#4 Chris Forsman: D; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#2 Carl Hudson: D; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#25 David Kasch: F; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#1 Andrew Loewen: G; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#23 Vincent Scarsella: F; 5' 7"; Freshman

#16 Jason Weeks: F; 5' 8"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#10 Spencer Churchill
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#4 Chris Forsman
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: D

#2 Carl Hudson
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: D

#25 David Kasch
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: F

#1 Andrew Loewen
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: G

#23 Vincent Scarsella
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: F

#16 Jason Weeks
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: F