NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - A third-period comeback fell short, as the Niagara men's hockey team (6-4-2, 5-2-0 AHA) saw its five-game winning streak come to an end at the hands of the visiting Air Force Falcons (4-6-1, 3-3-1 AHA) by a 7-4 score on Saturday night at Dwyer Arena.

Down 5-0 heading into the third period, Niagara was down but not out. The Purple Eagles used an even strength goal from freshman Ryan Murphy and a powerplay goal from senior Bryan Haczyk to come within three goals with 9:40 remaining. A minute later, Air Force scored a shorthanded goal to take a 6-2 lead, which wouldn't last for long as freshman Scott Arnold scored a nifty breakaway goal to cut the deficit to 6-3 with 7:50 left to play.

Arnold would strike again shorthanded to bring Niagara to within two of Air Force, but an empty net goal by Blake Paige sealed a wild third period and the game for the Falcons.

"Our five-game winning streak was a good run and it's too bad that it had to end like this," head coach Dave Burkholder said. "There was no magic to it, we just wished that we played like we did in the third period for the other 40 minutes of the game."

Air Force took a 1-0 lead 11:38 into the opening stanza, when Jason Fabian beat Niagara's starting netminder Andrew Hare low on the backhand. The Falcons would increase their lead with 1:48 left in the opening period, when Hare was hit behind the net, leaving the net open for Paul Weisgarber to bury the opportunity.

The Falcons kept the Purple Eagles on their heels during the first five minutes of the second period, striking twice to take a 4-0 lead. Freshman netminder Carsen Chubak came into the game in relief of Hare and played well until Paul Weisgarber scored his second of the game for a 5-0 Air Force lead.

"As a team we need to regroup and get ready for Colgate on Tuesday," Burkholder said.

Niagara finishes its season-long, five-game homestand on Tuesday night, when it hosts Colgate at 7 p.m. Niagara's game against Colgate can be viewed live on Time Warner Cable-Channel 13 in Western New York.