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BOB STEPHENS
THE GAZETTE
DENVER • History trumped perfection at Magness Arena on Saturday but Air Force earned respect even in defeat.
“I can’t say we’ve played a better team all year,” said DU coach George Gwozdecky. “That game could’ve gone either way. If we play a seven-game series, it goes seven games.”
Rhett Rakhshani gave DU a 1-0 lead in a tight, tense game at 14:50 of the second period. Scott Mathis tied it for Air Force at 2:31 of the third period but the Pioneers answered in just 30 seconds as Kyle Ostrow found the net.
“That squashed the momentum we got,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “Their third goal was demoralizing.”
That came from Rakhshani at 6:22 of the final period. The Pioneers added an empty-net goal at 18:12.
No. 10 DU (9-5-1), a seven-time national champion, improved to 28-3 against Air Force. The Falcons snapped a 19-game losing streak against the Pioneers last year but have never beaten DU in consecutive seasons.
Air Force did snap a 25-game losing streak against No. 3 Colorado College on Friday. The Falcons have never beaten CC and DU in the same season.
No. 11 Air Force (13-1-0) was the nation’s last unbeaten team.
“They should be a top 10 team, probably a top five team,” Gwozdecky said.
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