U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – RIT tied the game with 58 seconds left in regulation and then scored the game-winner 38 seconds into overtime for a 3-2 win over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Friday, Feb. 25, at the Cadet Ice Arena.

RIT earned two points in the AHA standings, while Air Force gained one. With one game left in the regular season, Air Force can still finish as high as sixth or as low as ninth. Sixth place would mean a bye in the first round and on the road in the quarterfinals. The seventh and eighth seeds would host a first-round series while the ninth seed will be on the road in the first round.

RIT (16-13-4, 12-9-4 AHA) capitalized on an Air Force turnover late in the first period as Grady Hobbs scored from Carter Wilkie at 14:55. Air Force (12-16-3, 10-12-3 AHA) tied the game late in the second period on the rush. Will Gavin gained the zone and dropped the puck at the left point. Bennett Norlin poked the puck to Clayton Cosentino in the slot and the freshman from San Carlos, Calif., tied the game at 16:10 of the second period.

Midway through the third period, the Falcons took a 2-1 lead. Austin Schwartz won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Brian Adams snapped a wrister from the right circle for his fifth goal of the season at 9:02. Late in the third, Blake Bride drew a penalty putting the Falcons on the power play with 3:37 remaining. However, it was short-lived as a Falcon penalty nullified the man-advantage and then gave the Tigers a late power play. The Tigers pulled the goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage with 1:15 remaining and Kobe Walker scored from the left circle to tie the game. In overtime, the Falcons turned the puck over in the neutral zone and RIT capitalized as Wilkie scored on the back door just 38 seconds into the extra frame.

Each team had 22 shots in the game. RIT was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Air Force was 0-for-3. Tommy Scarfone made 20 saves for the Tigers while Alex Schilling made 19 for the Falcons.

“We worked hard to get back into the game and then we get the lead,” head coach Frank Serratore said. “But we self-destructed at the end. If we don’t figure it out soon, we will not be long for this season.”

Air Force and RIT conclude the series, and the 2021-22 regular season, on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 5:05 pm MT.

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