After a tough roadtrip to Buffalo, N.Y. the previous weekend, the Chargers were glad to be back on home ice at the Von Braun Center taking on the Air Force Falcons in the opening weekend of College Hockey America play.
Beginning the defense of their CHA crown on Friday night, the Chargers came out ready to play and hammered out 16 shots to the Falcons mere two shots in the first period, but UAH could not find the back of the net. The Chargers rattled off 17 more in the second but still earned no points on the scoreboard but neither could the cadets from Air Force.
The Chargers finally got things working in the third period as CHA co-preseason Player of the Year Karlis Zirnis netted his first goal of the season as UAH took advantage of a power play opportunity to take a 1-0 lead over Air Force. Junior right-winger Steve Charlebois added the insurance measure in the 16th minute of the third to give UAH a 2-0 advantage. Sophomore netminder Adam MacLean picked up his second career save stabbing 20 Falcon shots in the win.
Having had lackluster performances on Saturday night so far this season, the Chargers were had something to prove in the series finale. Within the first five minutes of play, Charlebois and fellow junior Jason Hawes had strung together a goal each within a minute of one another to put the Chargers on top 2-0. Cruising to a 3-0 lead off a Zirnis goal in the second period, UAH allowed the only goal of the series when Tom Starkey slipped a shot pass junior Mark Byrne on an odd-man rush. UAH's win over the Falcons was the seventh straight victory over Air Force and extended the Charger's regular season home-winning streak to 12 games.
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
