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 Stavros Paskaris had two goals in WSU's loss at Air Force. |
Dec. 3, 2005
Colorado Springs, Colo. - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (1-9-2 overall, 1-4-1 CHA) scored four times in the third period but it was not enough to overcome a five-goal deficit as the United States Air Force Academy (3-9-0 overall, 2-2-0 CHA) edged the Warriors 7-6 Saturday night at the Cadet Ice Arena.
Air Force flew out to a 2-0 lead less than nine minutes into the contest on goals by Josh Schaffer (7:21) and Andrew Ramsey (8:40).
WSU battled back to even the score by the end of the first period. Junior forward Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers) scored Wayne State's first goal at the 11:51 mark off assists from junior wing Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) and freshman defenseman Matt Krug (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado).
Sophomore center Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) scored an extra-attacker goal (goalie pulled on a delayed penalty) with 3:04 remaining in the opening stanza to knot the game at two. Senior John May (Livonia, Mich./Springfield Junior Blues) earned the lone assist.
The host Falcons tallied the only three goals of the middle stanza for a 5-2 advantage after 40 minutes. Brooks Turnquist (7:28), Mike Phillipich (10:04) and Eric Ehn (13:12) scored for Air Force to chase Warrior starting goalie Matt Kelly.
USAFA tacked on two goals in the first three minutes of the third period for a 7-2 lead. Ehn (1:00) and Schaffer (2:48) both scored their second of the night.
The Warriors decided not to go down without a fight. Freshman Derek Punches (Manchester, Mich./Texas Tornado) started the Wayne State rally with his first collegiate goal at the 6:43 mark off assists from senior defenseman Greg Poupard (Jackson, Mich./Waterloo BlackHawks) and Higgins.
Paskaris lit the lamp again at 10:32 to pull the Warriors within three at 7-4. Paskaris' second of the contest was assisted by senior blueliner Steve Kovalchik (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancers) and Baclig.
Higgins scored his second of the game with 3:47 left from sophomore center Mike Forgie (Scarborough, Ont./Stouffville Spirit) and Baclig.
With goalie Will Hooper on the bench, junior left wing Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) netted his second of the campaign with 100 seconds left in the third period. Bloomingburg's extra-attacker goal was assisted by Kovalchik.
Hooper was off for the final 78 seconds but Wayne State was unable to complete the near miraculous comeback. The two-goal outing for Stavros Paskaris and Nate Higgins marked the first career multiple-goal game for both Warriors. Paskaris has six goals in his last five games against Air Force. The six goals for Wayne State was the most since a 6-4 win over Bemidji State on Nov. 23, 2004, at Compuware Sports Arena.
Wayne State senior goalie Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows) made 21 saves on 26 shots in 33:12 of action. Junior Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders) stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced but suffers the loss since he allowed the game-winning goal. USAFA netminder Peter Foster turned aside 22 WSU shots.
WSU went one-for-six with the man-advantage while Air Force had two power-play goals in eight opportunities.
Wayne State returns home to face the Merrimack Warriors on Dec. 9-10 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Face-off both Friday and Saturday nights is slated for 7:05 p.m. in WSU's final games before its holiday tournament appearance at the Badger Showdown in Madison, Wis., on Dec. 30-31.
