Falcons host Alabama-Huntsville, Jan. 31-Feb. 1
1/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 27, 2003
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This Week: Air Force (8-17-1, 2-9-1 CHA) returns home to host a two-game College Hockey America series with Alabama-Huntsville (13-9-2, 8-1-1 CHA), Friday-Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. The Falcons and Chargers play at 7:05 p.m. each night in the Cadet Ice Arena (2,502).
Radio/Television: The first game of the series will be broadcast live in Colorado Springs on KBZC AM 1300. The pregame show begins 20 minutes prior to faceoff. Jay Ritchie, in his sixth season of Air Force hockey, will do the play-by-play. No television. The second game will not be broadcast.
Follow the Falcons Anywhere: The first game of the series can be heard anywhere in the United States via the telephone. Falcon hockey radio broadcasts can be heard on TeamLine by dialing 1-800-846-4700. The team access code is 0671. This service is free of charge to listeners thanks to the Air Force Academy athletic department. Hockey games can also be listened to on the internet at www.AirForceSports.com. Go to the hockey page and click on Listen to the Falcons on the right side of the screen. The broadcast schedule for the remainder of the season is on page nine of this release.
Scouting the Opponents: Alabama-Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.) leads the CHA with 17 points (three points ahead of Niagara's 14 points). The Chargers, 13-9-2 overall, are 8-1-1 in league play with the only league loss coming at Wayne State in overtime (5-4) in late November. The Chargers opened the season with six straight road losses at No. 17 Wisconsin, No. 2 Denver and No. 3 Minnesota. After that, UAH went 13-1-2 and had a nine-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten streak snapped last week with two losses (7-3 and 5-2) on the road at No. 21 Northern Michigan. Sophomore Jared Ross leads the team with 28 points. Senior winger Mike Funk has 11 goals and 27 points. Senior Steve Charlebois leads the team with 12 goals. Senior Mark Byrne and freshman Scott Munroe have split time in the net. Munroe has been named the CHA Rookie or Defensive Player of the Week three times this season.
Series Records: Air Force and UAH continue the longest running rivalry in the CHA as the teams have met 39 times. UAH leads the series against Air Force, 27-11-1. UAH has won 18 of the last 21 against Air Force. Air Force is 9-11 vs. UAH at the Cadet Ice Arena. The Chargers had won seven straight before AFA swept the series last season at the Cadet Ice Arena.
Earlier This Season vs. UAH: Air Force and UAH met in Huntsville in November and the Chargers won both games (4-2 and 5-2). Air Force posted its most shots in Huntsville in many years, firing 74 shots, but getting just four goals in the series. In the first game UAH scored two in the second and two in the third for a 4-2 win. Tom Starkey's goal early in the second period gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead. UAH scored the next four and led 4-1 late in the third. Joel Bresciani scored three of the four goals for UAH. Keith Rowe scored the Chargers' first goal of the game. Scott Zwiers scored for Air Force late in the game. In the second game, UAH scored two in the first and went on to a 5-2 win. Steve Charlebois and Keith Rowe scored for UAH. Spanky Leonard brought the Falcons within a goal early in the second period. Doug Watkins and Tyler Butler gave UAH a 4-1 lead in the third period. Andy Berg scored at 9:49 and Bresciani added his fourth of the weekend to make up the final margin. Mike Polidor played in net in both games and stopped 61 of 70 shots.
Last Season vs. UAH at Home: In the midst of Air Force's school-record eight-game unbeaten streak, the Falcons swept the Chargers for the first time in 12 years (6-3 and 6-5). In the first game, Air Force scored four unanswered goals in the third period. Steve Charlebois scored two goals as UAH took a 3-2 lead after two. Brian Gornick, Tom Starkey and Derek Olson scored for the Falcons in the third. Shane Saum scored two goals in the game for the Falcons. Zach Sikich started for the injured Mike Polidor and made 30 saves. In the second game, the Falcons scored three in the third and netted the empty-net game-winner with 57 seconds remaining. Charlebois scored once and Bresciani scored twice for the Chargers. Brian Gornick scored two for the Falcons. With UAH leading 4-3, Air Force scored three straight goals. Gornick and Saum gave the Falcons a 5-4 lead midway through the third period. After UAH pulled the goalie, Olson scored an empty-netter with 57 seconds remaining. Bresciani scored with 10 seconds left in the game to make the final score, 6-5.
First League and Road Start: Freshman goalie David Goodley made his first ever league and conference start at Bemidji State, Saturday, Jan. 25. The Escondido, Calif., native was tested early and often as he made 17 saves and gave up just one goal in a wild first period. Goodley made 35 saves in the game and stopped 87.5 percent of the shots he faced. It was his second start of the season as started in the Radisson North Classic championship game and made 23 saves vs. Augsburg. On the season, Goodley has played 192 minutes and has a 1-1 record with a 4.37 goals-against average and a .837 saves percentage.
National Leaders: Andy Berg leads the nation with 14 power-play goals this season. Colorado College's Tom Preissing and Miami's Greg Hogeboom have 13. Mankato's Cole Bassett and Northern Michigan's Mike Stutzel have 10. Five other players have eight. Berg is also tied for third in the nation with 20 goals and is tied for 12th in the nation with 35 points. Mike Polidor is eighth in the nation with 1,359 minutes played.
Power Play Among Nation's Best: Air Force is tied for 12th in the nation in power-play percentage, scoring on 23.6 percent of its chances. However, recently, the power play has not been as powerful. In the last six games, Air Force is just 5-for-31 on the power play (16.1 percent). The Falcons have scored a power-play goal in eight straight games and in 11 of the last 12. This season, Air Force has scored on the power play in 20 of the 26 games. The power play generates 44 percent of the team's offense (33 of the 75 goals this season), the highest percentage among team's ranked in the top 15. The other 14 teams average 34 percent of their goals on the power play. Colorado College leads the nation with power-play percentage of 34.1. The Air Force school record was set in 1994-95, 26.4 percent.
Berg on Record Pace: Andy Berg's 14 power-play goals are just two shy of breaking the school record of 15 set by Mark Manney in 1981-82. They are also the most since Justin Kieffer led the nation with 14 in 1997-98. With 20 goals this season, Berg could put himself in some elite company. Just one Air Force player has scored 25 or more goals since 1980 (Frank Daldine had 28 in 1984-85). Chuck Delich set the school record with 44 in 1975-76. Since joining a Division I conference, the most goals scored by an Air Force player is 21 by Derek Olson last season. Berg's 32 power-play goals in his career are just three shy of breaking the record 34 set by John Decker (1992-95).
Berg and Zwiers Climb Up the Charts: Seniors Andy Berg and Scott Zwiers continue to climb up the career scoring list at Air Force. Berg has 137 points (62-75) in 129 games and is 14th on the career scoring list. Zwiers has 116 points (48-68) in 136 games and is tied for 27th.
Reaney Among Top Defensemen in AFA History: With 19 points this season, senior Brian Reaney has 66 career points to rank 11th in scoring among defensemen in Air Force history.
Last Week: Bemidji State swept Air Force, 4-2 and 5-3, at John Glas Fieldhouse in Bemidji, Minn.
On Deck: Following the UAH series, Air Force is off until Feb. 14-15 when the Falcons host the Quinnipiac (Conn.) Bobcats.
