By: Kellen Gormley
Arvada, Colo. (Dec. 5, 2025) – The Colorado School of Mines Men's Club Ice Hockey team came out firing on Friday night at Apex Ice Arena, but despite a strong offensive push, the Orediggers fell 10–5 to the United States Air Force Academy in a high scoring matchup.
Mines set the tone early in the first period with a pair of power-play goals. Ben Lombardi opened the scoring at 6:41 on the man advantage, burying a setup from Brady Sorrentino and Nathan Cote to give the Orediggers a 1–0 lead. After Air Force responded with two goals, Mines answered again when Brady Sorrentino converted on another power play at 12:42, with Matthew Mansfield providing the assist.
Late in the period, Mines struck once more to keep the game tight. Andrew Brekken stepped into a shot at 18:17, finishing a feed from Mansfield to make it a 4–3 contest. However, a late Air Force goal in the final seconds sent the Orediggers to the locker room trailing 5–3 after a wide-open first period.
The second period brought more special-teams action. After a pair of Air Force goals extended the deficit, Mines responded on the power play again at 18:30. Scott MacDonald ripped home his seventh of the season, assisted by Brady Sorrentino and Ripken Renner, bringing the score to 7–4 heading into the final frame.
Early in the third, Mines continued to capitalize on the man advantage. At the 1:48 mark, Scott MacDonald struck again—his second power-play goal of the night—off a crisp passing play from Ripken Renner and Ben Lombardi, cutting the deficit to 8–5. Despite the surge, Air Force added two more goals late to close out the game.
Mines finished the night an impressive 4-for-6 on the power play, with strong contributions from multiple veterans and underclassmen throughout the lineup.
In net, Gage Oyler made 22 saves before Dylan Eldridge entered in relief, turning aside 10 additional shots.
| # |
|
Skater |
Pos |
G |
A |
PIM |
| 3 |
|
Brekken, Andrew |
F |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| 5 |
|
Taliaferro, Henry |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 7 |
|
Lloyd, Harries |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 8 |
|
Renner, Ripken |
F |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 9 |
|
Znamenacek, Max |
D |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 11 |
|
Mansfield, Matthew |
F |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 12 |
|
Sorrentino, Brady |
D |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 14 |
|
Fadden, Benjamin |
D |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 15 |
|
Lombardi, Benjamin |
F |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 16 |
|
Lombardi, Nicholas |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 17 |
|
Cote, Nathan |
F |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 19 |
A |
Malaniuk, Nicholas |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 22 |
|
Dorwart, Kaden |
F |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| 23 |
A |
Macdonald, Scott |
D |
2 |
0 |
4 |
| 26 |
|
Sharpe, Jeremiah |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 27 |
|
Pifer, Preston |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 29 |
|
Fisher, Jacob |
D |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Scoring |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| M3AFA |
5 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
| M3CSM |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
| Shots on Goal |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| M3AFA |
16 |
12 |
14 |
42 |
| M3CSM |
10 |
11 |
7 |
28 |
|
PP |
PIM |
PTS |
| M3AFA |
2 / 3 |
12 min / 6 in |
21 |
| M3CSM |
4 / 6 |
6 min / 3 in |
13 |
