Ice Hockey digs in to win Game 1 of AHA Quarterfinal at Air Force

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Tenacity was the name of the game and the American International College ice hockey team was able to find it in a 3-1 win over the Air Force Academy in the first game of their Atlantic Hockey Association Championship Tournament Quarterfinal series on Friday, March 8.

AIC leads the series 1-0; the team now stands at 17-14-4 on the campaign.

The Yellow Jackets struck first in the opening frame. On a left-wing rush, Dustin Manz fed a puck toward the netfront that John Lundy was able to deflect home for his 13th of the season at 6:28. Oscar Geschwind earned the second assist on the play. 

From there, it was the Nils Wallstrom show. The rookie netminder was under seige for much of the game, facing more than 10 shots per period as AIC was outshot in each of the three segments of the contest. He stood tall, turning back chances and leading AIC to kill a major in the second with four stops to preserve the lead.

Midway through the third, however, the Falcons broke through. A turnover to Andrew DeCarlo in front allowed him an opportunity that he did not miss, snapping in his fifth of the year at 11:18.

The crowd was energized by the goal, and the Falcons were too, and the pressure only mounted. The Yellow Jackets needed to stem the rising tide with a big play, and John Lundy provided it, taking a pass from Blake Wells on the left side and faking to the short side to draw Guy Blessing out of the net before depositing his third of the year at 15:11. Theo Angesved earned the second assist on the goal with the breakout pass from his own end to Wells at center ice.

Down the stretch, Air Force continued to pound on Wallstrom, who pushed aside every shot. The Falcons pulled Blessing with over 2:30 to play and had chances, but the Yellow Jackets iced the game as Casey McDonald found Wells loose for an empty netter at 19:42; the goal was Wells' fourth of the season. 

Of the win, Head Coach Eric Lang said, "Man's game in here tonight. Every puck mattered, every play mattered. We have more in us."

Wallstrom improved to 16-10-2 with the win, making 31 saves in the victory as AIC was outshot 32-19.

The Yellow Jackets will try to close out the series on Saturday, March 9 at 9:05 p.m. Eastern.