Air Force senior defenseman Scott Mathis shoves Boston College’s Steven Whitney to the ice during last week’s NCAA tournament game. Top-ranked BC won the game, 2-0. Mathis is one of four seniors who’s leaving the Air Force squad via graduation. (Winslow Townson / The Associated Press)
It was a first the Air Force Academy’s hockey won’t brag about: the first time this season it was shutout. The Falcons were held scoreless in their NCAA tournament game against Boston College last Saturday, falling 2-0. Chris Kreider, a first-round NHL Draft selection in 2009, scored both of BC’s goals.
Considering who (the country’s top-ranked team) and where (in a Worcester, Mass., arena filled with BC fans), you shouldn’t be disappointed. It was only the third time in the past 10 games where BC managed to score just two goals. The Eagles are averaging 3.6 goals per game in that stretch.
Air Force coach Frank Serratore wasn’t hanging his head afterward. “That is a heck of hockey team in Boston College, and in my opinion they beat a heck of a hockey team.”
BC coach Jerry York said the Falcons were “a hard, tough out.”
Air Force finished its season at 21-11-7. It was the fifth time the Falcons managed to reach the NCAA tournament.
They’ll return four of their five top scorers from this year’s team and lose just four seniors – albeit some key players – so another tournament run isn’t out of the question.
Click here to read more about the Falcons’ future prospects.
