COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - Scott Kozlak broke a 2-2 tie with 1:16 left in regulation, pushing the Air Force Falcons (12-10-6, 10-6-6 AHA) to a 3-2 defeat of the Niagara men's hockey team (15-11-3, 12-9-1 AHA) in front of a sold out Cadet Ice Arena on Friday night.

With tension mounting, Kozlak came in to the left of freshman Cody Campbell and fired a wrist shot from a sharp angle that beat the rookie high, stick side. Niagara would subsequently pull Campbell looking for the tying goal, but it didn't come.

"We couldn't match their intensity and energy in the third period," Niagara Head Coach Dave Burkholder said. "Cody held us in the game as long as he could. Kozlak took a good shot, pipe and in from a tough angle." 

Playing in his hometown for the first time collegiately, Campbell made several huge saves for Niagara during a quick and energetic first period. The Falcons would net the only goal of the period on the man-advantage, when a point shot from Adam McKenzie was tipped in the slot by Derrick Burnett, beating an outstreched Campbell low, glove side.

Campbell was once again solid for Niagara in the second period, making several key saves on a five-on-three advantage for the Falcons halfway through the period. Niagara would tie the game with 14 seconds left in the middle stanza, when freshman Patrick Divjak rimmed the puck to the point, where a point shot from fellow rookie Matt Williams beat Air Force netminder Jason Torf five-hole for his first career goal.

The Falcons reclaimed the lead early in the third period, when Scott Bertsch tapped in a rebound from a Campbell  kick save on a Tim Kirby shot. Just a few minutes later, senior Bryan Haczyk netted his 23rd goal of the season, when he beat Torf on a partial breakaway.

Campbell finished the game with a career-high 45 saves. Niagara finishes its two-game series with Air Force tomorrow night at 9:05 EST.