The victory was the eighth in the last 11 games for the Cadets, who reached the .500 mark (8-8-1) for the first time all year after an 0-5-1 start. Included in Army's ledger is a 2-0-1 mark in three games against Fairfield (1-11-2).

Army jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the game, getting goals from Bill Griffith, Mike Fairman and Dave Keiser over the first 15:16 of play. Griffith's goal, his first of the season, came on a breakaway after a nice feed from John Williams in neutral ice. Fairman's tally, a power-play goal, was his team-leading 11th of the season.

Fairfield's Rae Metz tallied his team-leading sixth goal of the season 24 seconds after Keiser's goal to get the Stags on the board. Army, which had posted shutouts in its two previous games, including a 2-0 win at Fairfield just seven days ago, saw its scoreless string end at 150:52.

The two teams traded goals in the first 5:17 of the second period. Tim Murphy scored his first goal of the season off another Williams assist at 2:31, and less than three minutes later Metz set up Fairfield's second goal with a pretty feed to Dan Cotter.

Again Army regained its three-goal lead when Sarner one-timed a nice feed from Jeff Gallo along the boards. Sophomore defenseman Eric Joyce iced the contest with his first collegiate goal coming in his 39th game. Joyce also tallied an assist on Griffith's goal for his first point of the season.

Gallo and K.C. Finnegan each had two assists for Army.

Corey Winer remained red-hot in goal for the Cadets, stopping 23 of 25 shots for his fourth win in his last five outings.

David Hines started in goal for Fairfield and made 13 saves before being pulled 14:48 into the second period. Mike Giuliano made eight stops in relief.

Both squads wrapped up first-semester play and will have exactly one month off. Army travels to Alabama-Huntsville for a College Hockey America contest on Jan. 7, while Fairfield visits Bentley the same night in Metro Atlantic play.