Falcons host Alabama-Huntsville
1/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 20, 2004
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This Week: Air Force (9-13-2 overall and 2-7-1 in the CHA) hosts Alabama-Huntsville (8-7-1, 7-3 CHA) Friday-Saturday, Jan. 23-24, at the Cadet Ice Arena (2,502). Facoeff is at 7:05 p.m. MST each night.
Radio/TV: Both games can be heard on the radio, internet and telephone. The game will be broadcast live in Colorado Springs on KBZC AM 1300. Jay Ritchie, in his seventh season of Air Force hockey, will do the play-by-play. Dave Toller will handle the color commentary. The pregame show begins 20 minutes before faceoff. Falcon hockey can be heard anywhere via the telephone or internet. 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.
Series Records: Air Force and UAH have played 43 times and UAH holds a 30-11-2 lead in the series that began in 1984. As members of the CHA, UAH holds a 15-3-1 advantage since 1999. The Falcons were swept earlier this season by UAH and are 0-5-1 in the last six vs. the Chargers. The last Falcon win against the Chargers came at the Academy in 2002 when AFA swept UAH by scores of 6-3 and 6-5. At the Academy, AFA is 9-10-1 vs. UAH. See page six of this release for complete series results.
Scouting the Opponents: UAH is 8-7-1 overall and 7-3 and in the CHA. The Chargers are in third place with 14 league points. UAH is coached by Doug Ross who is in his 25th season as a college hockey coach and his 22nd season at UAH. The 1976 graduate of Bowling Green has an overall record of 457-252-33 and a UAH record of 401-217-31. UAH has won four straight and is unbeaten in the last five with sweeps over Findlay and Wayne State. The team has played just six non-conference games, splitting with UConn at home, getting swept at Miami and taking three points from Holy Cross on the road. Junior Jared Ross leads the league in scoring with 12 goals and 31 points. He also leads the nation in points per game with 1.94. Craig Bushey has 19 points and Bruce Mulherin has 18 points. Sophomore Scott Munroe (.905, 3.22) and senior Adam MacLean (.919, 2.39) have each played nine games in goal. UAH is sixth in the nation in scoring with 3.69 goals per game. The team has scored five or more six times this season.
Serratore vs. the Opponents: Frank Serratore has faced Alabama-Huntsville 21 times and is 3-17-1 vs. the Chargers. All three wins have come at the Cadet Ice Arena, including a sweep of the Chargers in 2002.
Common Opponents: Air Force and UAH have both played Connecticut and Miami this season. UConn split with UAH to open season in Huntsville. UAH won the first game 4-1 while UConn won the second game 6-0. UConn beat Air Force, 1-0, in the championship game of the UConn Classic, Dec. 28. Air Force blanked then 21st-ranked Miami (now No. 14), 2-0, in the Alaska Anchorage tournament. Miami swept UAH in Ohio, 4-2 and 5-2.
A Pair of Bagels: Air Force has shutout two opponents this season (Miami, 2-0 on Oct. 18 and Army, 3-0 on Jan. 16). The two shutouts tie as the most since the 1999-00 team posted three shutout in a season (Yale, Concordia and Army) AFA also had two shutouts in 2000-01 (Connecticut and Bemidji State).
PK Among Nation's Best: The Air Force penalty kill ranks first in the CHA and sixth in the nation, killing 87.2 percent. The Falcons have killed 15 straight opponent power plays and 25 of the last 26. Dating back to the Findlay game on Dec. 5, the Falcons have killed 48 of the last 51 opponents power plays (94.1 percent) in the last eight games.
Last Year vs. UAH at the CIA: UAH took three points in the series in early February, 2003, at the Academy. The teams skated to a 2-2 tie in the first game and UAH won the second game, 3-1. In the first game, UAH scored twice early in the first period. Ross Miller scored early in the third period and the Falcons tied the game when Brian Reaney scored with 27 seconds left after AFA had pulled the goalie. AFA had a 36-26 advantage in shots. In the second game, UAH scored early in the first period and twice in the final two minutes of the second period for a 3-0 lead. Spanky Leonard scored AFA's only goal midway through the third period.
Most Players of the Week: Air Force has had 11 players honored as CHA Players of the Week this season (the list is on page three of this release in the lower right corner). Bemidji State is second with nine and while Niagara and Findlay each have seven. UAH has had six players honored while Wayne State has had two. The 11 awards tie as the most since the CHA was formed in 1999-00. AFA also had 11 players honored in the 2000-01 season.
Earlier this season vs. UAH: UAH swept Air Force by scores of 5-1 and 6-4 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Oct. 31-Nov. 1. In the first game, Matt Bader gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead early in the first period but that was all AFA would get. Jared Ross tied the game 12 seconds later and Doug Watkins scored the game-winner with a short-handed goal in the second period. Craig Bushey scored two goals in the third period. In the second game, the Falcons again scored first as Steve Mead scored eight minutes into the period. The Falcons took a 3-1 lead after Bader and Mike Knaeble scored short-handed goals nine seconds apart. UAH scored three in the second period for a 4-3 lead. The Chargers scored the first two of the third period for a 6-3 lead. Knaeble added another short-handed goal with seven minutes remaining. UAH scored four power play goals as the teams combined for 66 penalty minutes.
Shutout by Freshman: Freshman Peter Foster turned in the first shutout of Army ever by a Falcon freshman. It was just the second time in the 28-year history of the series that AFA shutout Army. The only other goose egg came in 2000 when the Falcons, behind goaltender Marc Kielkucki, won 3-0 in West Point. The native of Canton, Mich., made a career best 31 saves in just his third career start.
Shutout Streak: Phoenix Coyote goalie Brian Boucher recently set an NHL record with more than 325 consecutive shutout minutes. Freshman Peter Foster's streak is not yet in that league, but it is impressive nevertheless. Foster has not allowed a goal in 96 consecutive minutes. After replacing Mike Polidor against Army on Jan. 16, he allowed two goals in the second period and then held Army scoreless for 36 minutes. He then blanked the Black Knights in 60 minutes on Jan. 17. His streak is the longest since Marc Kielkucki had 106 minutes of shutout hockey in 1999-2000. Since 1990, Falcon goaltenders have had a streak of more than 100 shutout minutes just six times. Kielkucki had five of them with his longest being 116 in 1999-00. Pat Kielb holds the school record with 168:15 minutes of shutout hockey in 1993-94. He posted back-to-back shutouts of Mankato State (now Minnesota State).
Big Weekend for Turnquist: Sophomore Brooks Turnquist, a solid, stay-at-home defenseman for his first 59 career games, has found his scoring touch. He recorded 13 assists in those games (seven last season and six this season). However, against Army Jan. 16-17, Turnquist not only scored his first career goal, he scored his first four career goals. The native of Apple Valley, Minn., scored two goals in each game and now has 11 points this season.
Road Warriors: If it seems like the Falcons have spent a lot of time on the road this season, it is because they have. Air Force played 17 of the first 24 games on the road and the trips have taken the team from Anchorage, Alaska to the east coast (four times). Including the trip to Army, Jan. 16-17, Air Force has already logged 29,169 miles this season. With trips to Niagara, Wayne State and the CHA Tournament in Kearney, Neb., still ahead this season, Air Force will travel 35,649 miles this season.
Home Stand Ahead: Air Force played 17 of the first 24 games on the road, but a home stand is ahead. The Falcons will now play six straight and eight of the next 10 at home. Air Force is 3-4 at home this season.
Rookies Getting it Done: Air Force has six freshmen (four forwards and two defensemen) that have played in 21 or more games. They have combined for 21 of the team's 66 goals this season (32 percent). Theo Zacour (seven goals) leads the rookies with 13 points. Brandon Merkosky has five and Andrew Ramsey has four.
Shots Are a Premium: AFA has done a stellar job of not allowing many shots this season. The Falcons have not allowed more than 36 shots in a game this season. Findlay took a season-high 36 shots, Dec. 5. AFA held three of the nation's top 15 teams (Miami, Colorado College and Denver) to less than 30 shots (average of 25). The Falcons have allowed 35 or more shots just twice this season. Meanwhile, Air Force has had 35 or more shots 12 times.
