The Pikes Peak Trophy currently resides on the campus of Colorado College, but the Tigers have some work to do to hang on to it for another year.
 
Will Gavin recorded a hat trick, including the game-winning goal just 55 seconds into overtime, to lead Air Force to a 5-4 victory over CC Friday night at Cadet Ice Arena.
 
Ty Pochipinski added a pair of goals and Alex Schilling had 20 saves for Air Force, which snapped a three-game regular-season losing streak to the Tigers.
 
Colorado College needs a win against the Falcons Saturday night at Ed Robson Arena to retain the Pikes Peak Trophy.
 
Four Tiger sophomores scored for the Tigers, while freshman Stanley Cooley collected a career-high three assists and Brian Hawkinson tied his career-best with two helpers. CC's last nine goals have been scored by sophomores.
 
The Tigers (1-4-2) needed a goal by Tyler Coffey with 42 seconds remaining in the third period to even the score at 4-4 and force overtime. With Dominic Basse (30 saves) on the bench in favor of an extra attacker, Cooley's cross-ice pass deflected off an Air Force player's skate and went right to Coffey in the high slot, and he beat Schilling for his second goal of the season.
 
In the extra frame, Gavin found the puck just inside the blue line following a CC turnover, skated down the right side, cut in front of the net and beat Basse.    
 
Pochipinski put the Falcons ahead 1-0 with the first of his two goals just 2:36 into the contest, knocking in a rebound from the right side of the net after his first shot was saved by Basse.
 
Logan Will evened the game at the 4:52 mark of the opening period with his second goal of the season. Danny Weight sent a pass from behind the net to Will, who beat Schilling from the slot.
 
Nicklas Andrews put the Tigers in front at 12:20 of the first period. Hawkinson, who also assisted on Will's tally, attempted a wraparound from behind the net and the puck slid to Andrews, who went top shelf. Cooley also assisted on the play.
 
The Falcons (2-3-0) tied it back up at 2-2 when Gavin's shot was blocked by CC's Chad Sasaki, but the puck went right back to Gavin, who one-timed a shot past Basse with 3:08 remaining in the first.
 
Basse came up big early in the second period, stoning Bennett Norlin on a clean breakaway four minutes into the frame, then Hunter McKown nearly put the Tigers on top, but his rocket from the left circle during a power play hit the crossbar.
 
Matthew Gleason did put the Tigers ahead as he found a loose puck in the slot and notched his second tally of the season. McKown collected his first assist of the season and Cooley his second of the game.
 
The Falcons had another good look later in the period, but Basse once again stopped a breakaway with seven minutes left. Air Force kept the pressure on the rest of the frame and took a 4-3 lead to the second intermission with goals from Gavin and Pochipinski within 46 seconds of each other in the final 2:28 of the second.
 
"We didn't play well all game," head coach Kris Mayotte said. "They were faster, they were hungrier, they played harder. We have to be a certain way as a team no matter who you are playing. We did that the last couple of weekends but didn't tonight. We'll be better tomorrow."
 
Air Force outshot the Tigers, 35-24, and neither team scored on its three power-play opportunities.
 
The two teams will resume the series on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Ed Robson Arena, beginning at 6 p.m.