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 Billy Collins had both Wayne State goals in the game at Air Force. |
Jan. 8, 2004
Colorado Springs, Colo. - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (5-12-2, 1-6-0) played its first College Hockey America contest since December 6, but suffered a 5-2 setback at the United States Air Force Academy Thursday night.
The host Falcons outscored the Warriors by one goal in each period (2-1, 2-1, 1-0) for its first win against WSU since January 12, 2002. Wayne State had been unbeaten in the last six (5-0-1) meetings.
Air Force's Brandon Merkosky scored his fifth of the season at the 6:01 mark of the opening period and Theo Zacour added a power-play goal just 66 seconds later for a 2-0 lead.
WSU junior center Billy Collins (Enderby, B.C./Prince George Spruce Kings), who entered the contest with four career goals and eight points in 10 games versus the Falcons, put the Warriors on the board with 6:45 left in the first period. His third of the season was assisted by junior wing Nathan Rosychuk (Athabasca, Alb./Grande Prairie Storm) and freshman defenseman Taylor Donohoe (Richmond, B.C./Powell River Kings).
In the middle stanza, Air Force scored the first two goals before Collins added his second of the night. It was his first multiple-goal game since scoring twice versus Findlay on March 7, 2003.
Zacour's second power-play goal of the game at the 6:10 mark gave the Falcons a 3-1 advantage, and Mike Knaeble added an even-strength marker with 9:17 remaining in the middle period.
Collins' fourth of the year was assisted by sophomore John May (Livonia, Mich./Springfield Junior Blues) and junior John Grubb (Burlington, N.D./Waterloo Black Hawks).
Adam Larson of Air Force scored an unassisted goal at the 2:45 mark of the third period to complete the scoring.
WSU had two power-play chances in the third period but were unable to get the puck past Air Force netminder Mike Polidor, who finished with 21 saves including 10 in the third period. Warrior sophomore goaltender Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows) turned aside 27 shots including 12 in the third period.
The two teams conclude the weekend series on Saturday night with a 9:05 p.m. Eastern face-off at the Cadet Ice Arena.
Saturday's affair will conclude the school-record 12-game road trip for Wayne State. WSU returns home to the Compuware Sports Arena to face league rival Alabama-Huntsville on January 17 (3:05 p.m.) and January 18 (2:05 p.m.).
