Falcons travels to Lightning College Hockey Classic
10/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 25, 2006
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This Week: Air Force (2-4, 1-1 AHA) travels to Tampa for the Lightning College Hockey Classic, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 27-28, at the St. Pete Times Forum (the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning). Air Force faces Alabama-Huntsville, Friday, Oct. 27, at 5:05 p.m. while Army plays Notre Dame, at 8:05 p.m. EST. The consolation game is Saturday, Oct. 28, at 5:05 with the championship game at 8:05.
Radio/Television/Internet: No television or Air Force radio for either game.
Scouting the Opponents: Alabama-Huntsville is 1-4-1 overall this season. After losing to the Falcons on opening weekend, UAH lost to Michigan (8-1), tied Bowling Green and then split with CHA rival Wayne State last weekend. Grant Selinger leads the team with eight points. Goalies Jordan Erickson and Marc Narduzzi have split time this season. The two have combined for a 5.75 goals-against average and a .833 saves percentage. Army is off to a hot start with a 3-0-1 record, all conference games. The Black Knights opened the season by beating AIC and the tying Sacred Heart, picked to finish second in the AHA. Last weekend, Army swept UConn on the road by scores of 5-4 and 7-3. Sophomore defenseman Tim Manthey leads the team with eight assists and nine points. Sophomore goalie Josh Kasel is a first-year starter and has a 92.9 percent saves percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average. Notre Dame is ranked 12th in the current USCHO poll and is 3-1 overall this season. ND split with Minnesota-State to open the season, winning at home and losing in overtime on the road. Last weekend, the Irish beat Boston College (7-1) and Providence (6-1). Mark Van Guilder has five goals and eight points in four games. Senior goalie David Brown has played every minute and has a 94.2 saves percentage and a 1.47 goals-against average.
The Coaches: Air Force coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State, 1982) is in his 10th season at Air Force and his 14th as a collegiate head coach. He has a 132-177-19 record at AFA and an overall mark of 181-269-28. Alabama-Huntsville coach Doug Ross is in his 25th year at UAH with a school record of 442-253-41 record. He has a career record of 497-284-42 in 27 years Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson has a 16-20-1 record in his second season and a 198-72-29 record in his eighth season as a collegiate head coach. Army coach Brian Riley is in his third season at Army with a school and career record of 22-39-11.
Last Meeting: Air Force and Alabama-Huntsville met earlier this season with the Falcons winning a 4-3 decision at the Cadet Ice Arena (See Below). Air Force and Army played twice last season in West Point and Army swept the series by scores of 3-0 and 4-3 in overtime. Army goalie Brad Roberts blanked the Falcons for the first five periods. In the second game, AFA came back from a 3-0 deficit in the third period to force overtime, but Chris Migliaro's goal gave Army the sweep. Roberts stopped 45 of the 48 shots he faced. Air Force and Notre Dame have not played since the 1992 Denver Cup when the Irish beat the Falcons, 4-1.
Facing the Chargers Again: Air Force and Alabama-Huntsville are accustomed to playing each other often. The two were conference foes in the CHA for seven years. However, Air Force is now in Atlantic Hockey but the tradition of the series continues. As non-conference opponents, the Falcons and Chargers will play twice in 19 days. AFA beat UAH, Oct. 8, at the Academy by a 4-3 score. Eric Ehn scored two goals for the Falcons while goalie Peter Foster earned the win. Billy Devoney and Andrew Ramsey also scored for the Falcons. After UAH scored on a penalty shot in the first period, the Falcons built a 3-1 lead after two periods. Ramsey's goal in the third period gave the Falcons a 4-2 lead. Brett McConnachie scored with more than 12 minutes left in the third to make the score 4-3, but the Chargers didn't score again.
Series Record: Air Force and Alabama-Huntsville will meet for the 55th time and the Chargers hold a 36-16-2 lead in the series that began in 1984. UAH won 25 of 30 games from 1992-2005. However, Air Force has won four of the last six, including three straight. The Falcons swept the Chargers last season at the Cadet Ice Arena and then defeated UAH earlier this season. The teams have never met on neutral ice. In 2001, UAH and AFA met in the CHA Tournament (UAH won 7-0), but the game was played on Huntsville's home ice. Air Force and Army have played 40 times with the Falcons holding a 23-15-2 lead in the series that began in 1976. From 1997-2001, Air Force was 10-1-1 vs. the Black Knights. AFA has won three of the last five in the series. However, Army swept Air Force last season at West Point. The teams played twice at the end of the 1968-69 season, with Army winning two exhibition games by scores of 12-4 and 8-0. Since the games were exhibitions, they do not show up in Air Force's series record vs. Army. Air Force and Army have never played a regular-season game on neutral ice. Air Force and Notre Dame have played 35 times, but have not met since the 1992 Denver Cup. The teams played 10 times from 1968-71 and then 25 times from 1984-1992 when both were independents. The teams have played on neutral ice three times with the Falcons win twice (RPI Invitational in 1988 and McDonald's Independents Invitational in 1992).
Falcons in Tournaments: In the last seven years, the Falcons have won four tournaments and played in the championship game of two others. Air Force played in two tournaments last season and the Falcons had a 1-3 record. Last season, AFA nearly upset Maine in the season-opening Icebreaker Invitational, but lost 3-1. The Falcons came back the next night to beat Union, 9-2. The next weekend, Air Force lost two games at the Q Cup to Bentley and RIT. In 2004-05, AFA won the RPI Tournament (3-2 overtime win over Sacred Heart and a 1-0 win over RPI). AFA opened that season by taking the consolation at the Quinnipiac Cup (2-2 tie with Bentley and a 4-0 win over AIC). Air Force lost two games at the 2004 Denver Cup (9-4 to Denver and 3-0 to Colgate). In 2003-04, the Falcons placed second in the Quinnipiac Cup and placed second in the UConn Tournament, losing by one goal in each championship game. In 2001, the Falcons won the UConn Tournament, the first ever Division I tournament championship and the first ever road tourney title. Air Force won its own Radisson Inn Classic in 2001 and 2002. In the history of Falcon hockey, Air Force has played in the championship game of seven Division I tournaments. Six of those have come under Serratore in the last seven seasons. AFA placed second in the UMass-Lowell tournament in 1999 and in the Q-Cup Tourney in 2000. Air Force is 27-69-2 all-time in regular-season tournaments. Under Serratore, the Falcons are 19-21-2 in regular-season tournaments.
Second Time in Florida: The Lightning College Hockey Classic marks the second time in school history the Falcons will play in Florida. In 1968-69, Air Force's first varsity hockey season, the Falcons played two exhibition games against Army in St. Petersburg, Florida. Army won both games, 12-4 and 8-0.
Phillipich Player of the Week: Air Force sophomore winger Mike Phillipich was named the Atlantic Hockey Association Offensive Player of the Week for his six-point series against Bentley, Oct. 21-22, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Phillipich had a career-best two goals and four points in the Falcons' 5-1 win on Friday. He scored AFA's second goal of the game which was the eventual game-winner. He had two assists in Saturday's 6-5 loss to Bentley. The Lansing, Mich., native tied his career-high of two assists both nights and was a +6 in the two-game series. On the season, Phillipich is second on the team with six assists and eight points. His +10 overall and +6 in league games are tied with linemates Eric Ehn and Andrew Ramsey as the best on the team.
Around the Nation: Several Falcons rank among the national leaders in various categories. Junior center Eric Ehn is fifth in the nation in points (2.0 per game), first in goals (8), fifth in goals per game (1.33) and fourth in power-play goals (3). Andrew Ramsey is 26th in the nation in points (1.67) and 24th in assists (1.17). Mike Phillipich is 53rd in the nation in points (1.25) and 25th in assists (1.00). Brian Gineo is 15th in the nation in points by a defenseman (1.00). Air Force is 26th in the nation in scoring offense (3.17) and 40th in scoring defense (3.83). The Falcon power-play ranks 36th (14.6) while the penalty kill is 49th (66.7).
Special Teams: Air Force's special teams have struggled early in the season. The Falcons have allowed 14 power-play goals and the opponents' power-play is clicking at 33.3 percent. AFA has also allowed a short-handed goal. Meanwhile, the Falcons have scored just six power-play goals in six games for a 14.6 percentage.
Even Strength Solid: As the Falcon special teams are struggling, the even-strength has been strong. The Falcons have out-scored their opponents, 13-8, even strength this season. AFA scored a season-high five even-strength goals in the 5-1 win over Bentley.
Tough Schedule: Air Force's schedule features eight teams a total of 18 times that are listed in the current USCHO top 20 poll or receiving votes. Notre Dame is currently 12th, Denver is 14th and Colorado College is 20th. Army, Alaska, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst and RIT are all receiving votes.
On Deck: Following Lightning College Hockey Classic, Air Force returns home and returns to conference play with a two-game series against RIT, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 3-4, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena. Faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. each night.
Last Week: Air Force split two Atlantic Hockey games with Bentley, winning the first game, 5-1, and losing the second game, 6-5.
