Senior middie Parker Price registered three points on two goals and one assist, and he scored the goal that stood up to be the game winner, as Air Academy edged No. 25 Judge Memorial, 5-4, in a Colorado vs. Utah interstate game Thursday night in Colorado Springs.

Senior attackman Kellen Miller added a pair of goals to help the Kadets (2-0) win their second straight one-goal game to start the season. Junior middie Trent Reifstahl also scored to round out the offense for Air Academy.

Defensively, junior goalie Jack Grinewich saved six shots.

In defeat, four players scored single goals for Judge Memorial (0-1), which fell in its season opener. Utah is 1-2 against Colorado so far this season. Waterford beat Overland on Wednesday and lost to Valor Christian on Thursday.

In a tight defensive battle, the game was tied, 1-1, at the end of the first quarter and at halftime before Air Academy scored back-to-back goals to take a 3-1 lead in the third quarter. Judge Memorial closed the gap to one goal on three occasions in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs could never draw even.

Price put Air Academy ahead, 5-3, with 5:41 remaining in regulation. Middie Zach Knettles scored with 46 seconds to play in regulation to bring the Bulldogs back within a goal, and Judge Memorial won the ensuing face-off. But with one last chance to send the game to overtime, the Bulldogs could only get one shot off toward the goal before losing possession.

“Our defense has kept us in both of those games,” Air Academy head coach Mark Shriver said of his team’s two close shaves. “If it wasn’t for our defense, having a slow-starting offense would kill us.”