Coach Doug Ross' hockey squad was certainly glad to return home to the friendly confines of the Von Braun Center over the weekend. Having spent more than a month away from home and reeling from a five-game losing streak, UAH got a much-needed shot in the arm against the Findlay Oilers.
For the first time since Jan. 5th, the Chargers took the ice at the VBC on Friday. Junior defenseman Ryan Leasa opened the scoring in the game at the 16:19 mark of the opening period netting his third goal of the season. Looking more like a forward than a defender, Leasa took the pass from sophomore Steve Milosevski and faked out Findlay's netminder Jamie Vandespyker to give UAH a 1-0 advantage.
The Oilers came storming back in the second period scoring a pair of goals in less than one minute and a half as Brant Somerville and Lee Arnold gave Findlay a 2-1 lead. That lead would be short-lived however, as Milosevski scored his seventh of the season at the 7:16 mark of the second.
Snapping an eight-game scoreless streak, junior Karlis Zirnis netted a go-ahead goal with just over ten minutes remaining in the second. The Oilers freshman phenom Rigel Shaw would put UF back on top scoring two goals in the last seven minutes of the stanza to give Findlay a 4-3 advantage heading into the third.
Junior Joel Bresicani got wiped the slate clean at 3:47 of the third with help from Milosevski and freshman Doug Watkins. Milosevski picked up his fourth point of the night when Jason Hawes scored the game-winning measure at 6:31 in the third.
Junior netminder Mark Byrne picked up the win stopping 32 shots, while UF's VandeSpyker turned away 48 UAH attempts.
On Saturday night, the Charger defensemen decided to take things into their own hands and put the first two goals on the board as juniors David Halliwill and Butler each scored a measure in the opening frame. Halliwill's goal was the first of his career in the 67 games he has played in.
Friday night's hero, Milosevski, pushed the lead to 3-0 nearly half way into the second period with his fifth point of the series. The Chargers' advantage would remain at three goals through the second period but Shaw broke up Byrne's shutout attempt 21 seconds into the final period.
Findlay closed the UAH lead to 3-2 at the 4:18 mark of the third but they would come no closer as senior captain Kevin Ridgeway scored an empty netter with assists from Zirnis and Byrne. Byrne picked up the win for UAH turning away 30 UF shots in the victory.
The sweep moves UAH into sole possession of third place in the CHA standings with three conference series remaining on the slate.
