Air Force's hockey team loses to top-seeded Yale 2-1 in overtime

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. • Air Force came so close.

Again.

When Chad Ziegler scored 3:16 into overtime Friday, he ignited an instant party on the ice for his Bulldogs teammates.

No. 1 seed Yale had defeated the Falcons, 2-1, in the first game of the NCAA Tournament, and it was time to celebrate.

For Air Force, it was yet another excruciating trip to the edge of victory in the tournament.

In 2008, the Falcons lost in overtime in the opening game to Miami of Ohio. In 2009, Air Force followed a monumental tournament win over Michigan with a double-overtime loss to Vermont.

As the Bulldogs rejoiced, Air Force senior forward Sean Bertsch made an instant move off the bench and skated straight to freshman goaltender Jason Torf.

Torf had played a superb game, and his inspired performance in the Atlantic Hockey Association finals allowed the Falcons to travel to the NCAAs.

In the final sequence, Yale’s Nick Jaskowiak sent a rocket of a shot off Torf’s thigh. The puck bounced in the air as Torf tried to control it.

He couldn’t.

“It took a weird bounce to the left,” Torf said in a steady voice.

Torf saw Ziegler closing fast. Torf also saw he wouldn’t be able to stop him.

“He was a little too far outside my body,” Torf said.

Seconds after Ziegler ended Air Force’s season, Bertsch met Torf at center ice.

“Keep your head high,” Bertsch told Torf in a commanding voice. “You played great.”

This game almost turned out completely different. With two minutes left in regulation and the score tied at one, Air Force’s Casey Kleisinger directed a pass to Paul Weisgarber, skating free directly in front of the net.

Weisgarber went to his backhand and tried to direct the shot through the legs of Yale goaltender Ryan Rondeau.

It almost worked, but Rondeau managed to smother the puck at the last instant. He saved the shot, and Yale’s season.

“Wish I had that one back,” Weisgarber said.

Coach Frank Serratore smiled when he thought back to Weisgarber’s shot.

“I thought that was going in,” Serratore said. “He showed some poise. He took his time.”

Bertsch showed similar patience on Air Force’s tying goal. Brian O’Neill beat Torf with a point-blank shot at 7:28 of the second period to give Yale a 1-0 lead, but Woodland Park’s Bertsch responded.

With 90 seconds left in the period, Bertsch was covered closely by Kevin Peel behind the net. Bertsch performed a quick spin move, escaping Peel, and suddenly he was alone with Rondeau.

Bertsch scored, tied the game and silenced the crowd.

It was a strange night in downtown Bridgeport. Yale was playing less than 20 miles from its campus, but Air Force kept the pro-Bulldog crowd quiet for nearly the entire game.

There was a strong reason for the near-silence. Once again, the Falcons battled a No. 1 seed even through regulation.

And then they lost in overtime.

Again.