Falcons travel to Niagara and RIT
2/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
This Week: Air Force (5-16-1, 3-9 College Hockey America) travels to Niagara Falls, N.Y. for a two-game CHA series against the Niagara Purple Eagles (13-12-1, 7-4-1 CHA), Friday-Saturday, Feb. 10-11. The faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. EST each night at Dwyer Arena. After the two games at Niagara, AFA stays in western New York for a single, non-conference game with RIT (6-19-2), Monday, Feb. 13, at 7:05 p.m.
Radio/Television/Internet: No television or AFA radio.
On the Road Again: Air Force is in the midst of seven straight road games. The Falcons are 0-4 on the road swing so far. Air Force will play five of its last nine on the road. The Falcons play four straight at home against Alabama-Huntsville (Feb. 17-18) and Robert Morris (Feb. 24-25).
The CHA Race: Alabama-Huntsville is in first place in the CHA with 21 points after sweeping second-place Bemidji State last weekend in Huntsville. Niagara, picked to finish fourth, is in third place with 15 points. Air Force is in sixth place with six points.
Scouting the Opponents: Niagara (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) is 13-12-1 overall and 7-4-1 and in third place in the CHA. Niagara was off last week and has not played since a 5-2 loss at Quinnipiac, Jan. 28. Niagara is just 3-5 in its last eight games. A pair of freshmen, Ted Cook and Les Reaney, are tied for the team lead in scoring with 28 points. Goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten is one of the best in the conference with a saves percentage of 91.2.
RIT (Rochester, N.Y.) is 6-19-2 overall as an NCAA independent. The Tigers will join Air Force next season in the Atlantic Hockey conference. RIT plays at Alabama-Huntsville, Feb. 10-11, before hosting Air Force Feb. 13.
The Coaches: Air Force coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State, 1982) is in his ninth season at Air Force and his 13th as a collegiate head coach. He has a 124-165-19 record at AFA and an overall mark of 173-256-28. Niagara coach Dave Burkholder is in his fifth season as the head coach with the Purple Eagles with a career and school record of 81-80-12. RIT coach Wayne Wilson is in his seventh season with the Tigers with a school and overall record of 129-48-14.
Earlier This Season vs. Niagara: Air Force split with then league-leading Niagara, Jan. 13-14, at the Cadet Ice Arena. AFA won the first game, 5-4 in overtime. Niagara won the second game, 7-2. In the first game, Niagara led 2-1 entering the third period, but the Falcons roared back with three straight goals for a 4-2 lead. NU tied the game with 22 seconds left, but Mike Phillipich's overtime goal gave the Falcons the win. In the second game, Niagara scored three goals in the first 14 minutes and cruised to a 7-2 win.
Earlier This Season vs. RIT: Air Force and RIT have already played three times this season. The teams first met in the consolation game of the Quinnipiac Cup and the Tigers won 5-2. The Falcons led 2-1 midway through the second period, but RIT broke a 2-2 tie and scored the game-winner early in the third period on the power play. RIT added two empty-net goals in the final 90 seconds. The Falcons and Tigers played a two-game series at the Academy, Dec. 30-31. In the first game, Air Force led 3-1 after the first period on goals by Josh Schaffer, Josh Print and Eric Ehn. RIT made the score 3-2 with just over three minutes remaining in the third period, but never got closer. In the second game, RIT took a 2-1 lead in the second period, but Mike Knaeble's goal late in the second period tied the game at 2-2. Neither team scored in the third period or overtime.
Series Record Vs. Niagara: Niagara leads the overall series 26-10-3. Air Force ended an 11-game losing skid to Niagara with a 5-4 overtime win earlier this season. Niagara has now won 13 of the last 15. The teams have played 17 games in Niagara and the Purple Eagles have an 11-4-2 lead in games played in New York. However, in the last 11 games, Niagara has won five, Air Force has won four and the teams have tied twice. Niagara has won five straight in the series, but from 2001-2002, AFA was 4-0-2 during a six-game span.
Series Record Vs. RIT: Air Force and RIT have played eight times and RIT holds a 4-3-1 lead in the series. AFA won two games in 1990, but then RIT won the next four games. The Tigers won two in 1995 and one in 2000, all at the Cadet Ice Arena. Earlier this season, RIT defeated Air Force, 5-2, in the consolation game of the Quinnipiac Cup in Northford, Conn. The teams played a two-game, non-conference, series at the Academy Dec. 30-31, and the Falcons took three points with a win and a tie.
Get the First One: As most hockey people know, getting the first goal is extremely important. However, for Air Force this season, that fact has determined the outcome of games. When AFA's opponent scores first, the Falcons are 1-12-1. When the Falcons score first, the team's record is 4-4. After eight losses and a tie, the Falcons finally came from behind for a victory against Niagara, Jan. 13. Niagara scored first and had a 2-1 lead entering the third period. AFA scored three goals in the third and then netted the game-winner in overtime.
It Doesn't Add Up: Air Force's record of 5-16-1 this season is certainly not indicative of its play this season. The number of shots on goal in a game is a good indicator of the territorial play in the game. If the shots were fairly even, than usually the game was fairly even. However, in Air Force's case, the Falcons have controlled the possession time and have dominated the shots on goal category. The Falcons have out-shot their opponents in 16 of the 22 games this season and have won just five of those games. The opponent has only out-shot Air Force six times all season and have won all six. Air Force has out-shot its opponent in each of the last seven games, but has a 1-6 record in those contests. Looking back to last season, Air Force's shots on goal are about the same, 32 per game last season and 31 this season. However, Air Force is allowing just 24 shots per game this season compared to 28 last season. In 22 games this season, the Falcons have out-shot the opponent by a total of 113 shots (677-565).
It Comes Down to Special Teams and Goaltending: Special teams and goaltending often determine the out-come of games. Despite the shot differential this season, the Falcons' special teams and goaltending have struggled. The Air Force power play, which is much improved over the last 10 games, ranks 48th in the nation out of 59 teams at 14 percent. The penalty kill is last at 76 percent. The team's saves percentage of 84.6 is last in the nation as the NCAA average is approximately 90.5. The team's saves percentage is the lowest in the last 10 years at Air Force.
Radio/Television/Internet: No television or AFA radio.
On the Road Again: Air Force is in the midst of seven straight road games. The Falcons are 0-4 on the road swing so far. Air Force will play five of its last nine on the road. The Falcons play four straight at home against Alabama-Huntsville (Feb. 17-18) and Robert Morris (Feb. 24-25).
The CHA Race: Alabama-Huntsville is in first place in the CHA with 21 points after sweeping second-place Bemidji State last weekend in Huntsville. Niagara, picked to finish fourth, is in third place with 15 points. Air Force is in sixth place with six points.
Scouting the Opponents: Niagara (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) is 13-12-1 overall and 7-4-1 and in third place in the CHA. Niagara was off last week and has not played since a 5-2 loss at Quinnipiac, Jan. 28. Niagara is just 3-5 in its last eight games. A pair of freshmen, Ted Cook and Les Reaney, are tied for the team lead in scoring with 28 points. Goaltender Jeff Van Nynatten is one of the best in the conference with a saves percentage of 91.2.
RIT (Rochester, N.Y.) is 6-19-2 overall as an NCAA independent. The Tigers will join Air Force next season in the Atlantic Hockey conference. RIT plays at Alabama-Huntsville, Feb. 10-11, before hosting Air Force Feb. 13.
The Coaches: Air Force coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State, 1982) is in his ninth season at Air Force and his 13th as a collegiate head coach. He has a 124-165-19 record at AFA and an overall mark of 173-256-28. Niagara coach Dave Burkholder is in his fifth season as the head coach with the Purple Eagles with a career and school record of 81-80-12. RIT coach Wayne Wilson is in his seventh season with the Tigers with a school and overall record of 129-48-14.
Earlier This Season vs. Niagara: Air Force split with then league-leading Niagara, Jan. 13-14, at the Cadet Ice Arena. AFA won the first game, 5-4 in overtime. Niagara won the second game, 7-2. In the first game, Niagara led 2-1 entering the third period, but the Falcons roared back with three straight goals for a 4-2 lead. NU tied the game with 22 seconds left, but Mike Phillipich's overtime goal gave the Falcons the win. In the second game, Niagara scored three goals in the first 14 minutes and cruised to a 7-2 win.
Earlier This Season vs. RIT: Air Force and RIT have already played three times this season. The teams first met in the consolation game of the Quinnipiac Cup and the Tigers won 5-2. The Falcons led 2-1 midway through the second period, but RIT broke a 2-2 tie and scored the game-winner early in the third period on the power play. RIT added two empty-net goals in the final 90 seconds. The Falcons and Tigers played a two-game series at the Academy, Dec. 30-31. In the first game, Air Force led 3-1 after the first period on goals by Josh Schaffer, Josh Print and Eric Ehn. RIT made the score 3-2 with just over three minutes remaining in the third period, but never got closer. In the second game, RIT took a 2-1 lead in the second period, but Mike Knaeble's goal late in the second period tied the game at 2-2. Neither team scored in the third period or overtime.
Series Record Vs. Niagara: Niagara leads the overall series 26-10-3. Air Force ended an 11-game losing skid to Niagara with a 5-4 overtime win earlier this season. Niagara has now won 13 of the last 15. The teams have played 17 games in Niagara and the Purple Eagles have an 11-4-2 lead in games played in New York. However, in the last 11 games, Niagara has won five, Air Force has won four and the teams have tied twice. Niagara has won five straight in the series, but from 2001-2002, AFA was 4-0-2 during a six-game span.
Series Record Vs. RIT: Air Force and RIT have played eight times and RIT holds a 4-3-1 lead in the series. AFA won two games in 1990, but then RIT won the next four games. The Tigers won two in 1995 and one in 2000, all at the Cadet Ice Arena. Earlier this season, RIT defeated Air Force, 5-2, in the consolation game of the Quinnipiac Cup in Northford, Conn. The teams played a two-game, non-conference, series at the Academy Dec. 30-31, and the Falcons took three points with a win and a tie.
Get the First One: As most hockey people know, getting the first goal is extremely important. However, for Air Force this season, that fact has determined the outcome of games. When AFA's opponent scores first, the Falcons are 1-12-1. When the Falcons score first, the team's record is 4-4. After eight losses and a tie, the Falcons finally came from behind for a victory against Niagara, Jan. 13. Niagara scored first and had a 2-1 lead entering the third period. AFA scored three goals in the third and then netted the game-winner in overtime.
It Doesn't Add Up: Air Force's record of 5-16-1 this season is certainly not indicative of its play this season. The number of shots on goal in a game is a good indicator of the territorial play in the game. If the shots were fairly even, than usually the game was fairly even. However, in Air Force's case, the Falcons have controlled the possession time and have dominated the shots on goal category. The Falcons have out-shot their opponents in 16 of the 22 games this season and have won just five of those games. The opponent has only out-shot Air Force six times all season and have won all six. Air Force has out-shot its opponent in each of the last seven games, but has a 1-6 record in those contests. Looking back to last season, Air Force's shots on goal are about the same, 32 per game last season and 31 this season. However, Air Force is allowing just 24 shots per game this season compared to 28 last season. In 22 games this season, the Falcons have out-shot the opponent by a total of 113 shots (677-565).
It Comes Down to Special Teams and Goaltending: Special teams and goaltending often determine the out-come of games. Despite the shot differential this season, the Falcons' special teams and goaltending have struggled. The Air Force power play, which is much improved over the last 10 games, ranks 48th in the nation out of 59 teams at 14 percent. The penalty kill is last at 76 percent. The team's saves percentage of 84.6 is last in the nation as the NCAA average is approximately 90.5. The team's saves percentage is the lowest in the last 10 years at Air Force.
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