BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Nobody pointed a finger when it was over. Nobody looked for an excuse.
A dream season came to a heartbreaking and bizarre finish Saturday night for the Air Force Academy (with an assist from instant replay) in a 3-2, double-overtime loss to Vermont in the East Regional of the NCAA hockey tournament in front of 8,478 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Vermont’s Dan Lawson tallied the game-winning goal when the puck entered under the crossbar and exited through the back of the net at 14:10 of the second OT — but nobody knew it counted for almost 20 minutes.
“(Wahsontiio Stacey) set me up with a beautiful pass and I just let go,” Lawson said. “It looked good but . . . everyone else kept playing, (and) so did I.”
When played stopped 1:49 later, the shot was reviewed by the officials and deemed a goal after a delay of more than 15 minutes.
“The puck was shot and I observed the net move,” official Marco Hunt said. “Video confirmed the puck entered the net inside the post and under the crossbar.”
The Falcons (28-11-2) had no complaints about the call and exited the arena with their heads held high after completing the greatest season in academy history a game shy of the Frozen Four.
“There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that they made the right call, because if it wasn’t conclusive, I can’t imagine that they would have let the goal stand,” AFA coach Frank Serratore said.
“The Air Force Academy was one goal away from going to the Frozen Four — who would have believed it?”
AFA forward Sean Bertsch had an idea the shot might be good because the Catamounts (22-11-5) started screaming after Lawson took it.
“I knew which play they were reviewing because as soon as it happened I heard their bench holler, ‘It went through the net,’ ” he said.
Bertsch kept the Falcons in the game in the third period, tying it at 2-2 at 11:18 with an assist from Mike Phillipich.
AFA took a 1-0 lead in the second period on Paul Weisgarber’s goal at the 3:46 mark.
Junior goaltender Andrew Volkening made 32 saves and was named to the all-tournament team along with teammates Bertsch, Hobey Baker finalist Jacques Lamoureux and defenseman Greg Flynn.
Air Force 0 1 1 0 0 — 2
Vermont 0 0 2 0 1 — 3
First period — No scoring. Penalties — Cullity, Ver (interference), 5:10; Weisgarber, AF (tripping), 9:42.
Second period — 1, Air Force, Weisgarber 6 (Bertsch, Mathis), 3:46. Penalties — Flynn, AF (holding), 4:23; MacKenzie, Ver (holding), 6:38; Atkinson, Ver (elbowing), 16:07; Nylander, AF (tripping), 19:00.
Third period — 2, Vermont, Burrows 5 (Cullity, Milo), 3:56. 3, Vermont, Lawson 7 (Carlson), 9:29. 4, Air Force, Bertsch 7 (Phillipich), 11:18. Penalties — Olson, AF (high-sticking), 12:50; Roloff, Ver (holding), 12:50.
First overtime — No scoring. Penalties — Downing, Ver (boarding), 16:29.
Second overtime — 5, Vermont, Lawson 8 (Stacey, Stalberg), 14:10. Penalties — None.
Shots on goal — Air Force 10-12-12-8-6—48. Vermont 8-6-8-6-7—35. Power play opportunities — Air Force 0 of 4, Vermont 0 of 3. Goal-tenders — Air Force, Volkening 28-11-2 (35 shots-32 saves). Vermont, Madore 22-16-5 (48-46). A — 8,478. Referees — Anderson, Hunt. Linesmen — Czech, Ulwelling.
