Falcons at Niagara for CHA series
2/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Feb. 17, 2004
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This Week: Air Force (12-16-2, 4-9-1 CHA) travels to New York to face Niagara University (16-11-3, 11-3 CHA), Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21, in Dwyer Arena. The faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. EST each night. Niagara is in second place in the CHA with 22 points while Air Force is in fourth place with nine points.
Radio/Television: Both games can be heard on the radio, internet and telephone. The games will be broadcast live in Colorado Springs on KBZC AM 1300. No television.
Series Records: Air Force and Niagara have played 31 times and Niagara holds a 19-9-3 advantage in the series that began in 1996. Niagara has won the last five games and six of the last seven. AFA is 5-8-1 vs. Niagara at Cadet Ice Arena, 0-4 on neutral ice and 4-7-2 in New York.
Scouting the Opponents: A charter member of College Hockey America, Niagara in second place in the CHA with 22 points, two points behind league-leading Bemidji State. The Purple Eagles split at Alabama-Huntsville last week, winning the first game (8-0) and losing the second game (4-2). The loss snapped a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1). NU has not lost two straight games since mid-January with losses to BSU and Findlay. Junior Barret Ehgoetz leads the league in points (42) and goals (21). Senior Joe Tallari, the preseason player of the year in the CHA, has 13 goals and 27 points. Dave Burkholder is in his fourth season as head coach with a record of 50-43-9.
Last Time at Niagara: Air Force and Niagara split the two-game series, Nov. 1-2, 2002, at Dwyer Arena. AFA won the first game, 5-2, while NU won the second game, 6-2. In the first game. Tom Starkey, Scott Zwiers and Carson Strang scored to give AFA a 3-0 lead early in the second period. Steve Cook's goal late in the second gave AFA a 4-1 lead. NU's Andrew Nahirniak scored with 58 seconds left in the second to make the score 4-2. The score held up until Ryan Wiggins' empty-net goal in the final minute. Mike Polidor made 36 saves for AFA while Jeff VanNynatten made 23 for NU. In the second game, Joe Tallari and Bernie Sigrist scored two goals each as NU built a 5-0 lead after two periods. Seth Pelletier and Spanky Leonard scored for AFA in the third period. Polidor stopped 26 for the Falcons. Rob Bonk made 21 saves for NU.
Earlier This Season vs. Niagara: Air Force was swept by Niagara at the Cadet Ice Arena, Nov. 21-22. NU won the first game in overtime, 3-2, and then came from behind for a 5-2 win in game two. In the first game, Chris Welch's goal with 2:17 remaining in overtime lifted Niagara to a 3-2 win. The Purple Eagles scored twice in the first period and held the 2-0 lead until early in the third period. The Falcons got on the board early in the third period on a goal by Seth Pelletier. With 4:21 remaining, the Falcons tied the score as freshman Andrew Ramsey re-directed a shot by Buck Kozlowski. Air Force outshot Niagara, 34-20, in the game. Polidor made 17 saves for Air Force while VanNynatten had 32 for the Purple Eagles. In game two, Niagara overcame an early two-goal deficit to defeat Air Force, 5-2. With 37 seconds left in the first period, freshman Billy Devoney scored his first career goal on the power play. Just over three minutes into the second period, the Falcons took a 2-0 lead when Theo Zacour redirected a pass from Matt Bader. Niagara scored the final five goals of the game. Barret Ehgoetz tied the game late in the second period. His goal 21 seconds into the third period, was the game winner. NU's final goal of the game was an empty-netter from Chris Welch with 39 seconds left. Air Force again out-shot Niagara in every period and 39-28 in the game. VanNynatten made 37 saves while allowing just two goals. Freshman Peter Foster started and played the first 43 minutes. He stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced and was replaced by Mike Polidor with 17:32 left in the third period. Polidor stopped all four shots he faced.
Pelletier Named Player of the Week: Junior Seth Pelletier was named the CHA offensive player of the week for his performance against Holy Cross, Feb. 13-14. A winger from China, Maine, Pelletier tallied a career-best four points in the two-game series against the Crusaders. He tied his career high with two points in each game as he had one goal and one assist each night. Pelletier entered the game with 15 points in 60 career games. On Friday, his goal late in the second period ended Holy Cross' run of five unanswered goals. His goal in Saturday's 5-2 win was the game-winner. Pelletier then assisted on Shane Saum's game-clinching empty-net goal with 14 seconds remaining. He has now scored a goal in three of his last four games. The award was the first of Pelletier's career.
First Game: Sophomore Will Zimmerman played his first game of the season on Feb. 14 against Holy Cross and had one shot on goal. The winger from Lake Grove, N.Y., played in eight games last season as a freshman. He was not with the team in the fall of 2003 and rejoined the team in early January.
What a Class!: Much has been said about the Falcons' freshmen class, but the proof is in the awards. Air Force has earned seven CHA rookie of the week awards, more than any other league team, and twice as many as all but one team. Brian Gineo, Peter Foster and Theo Zacour have each earned two awards while Andrew Ramsey has won one. Bemidji State has had four rookie of the week awards. UAH has had three, Findlay has had two and Niagara one.
On Deck: Following the Niagara series, the Falcons return to the Cadet Ice Arena for the final home series of the season. AFA hosts Bemidji State, Feb. 27-28.
Last Week: Air Force and Holy Cross split a two-game non-conference series at the Academy, Feb. 13-14. The Crusaders won the first game, 8-4, and Air Force won the second game, 5-2.
