Falcons travel to Mercyhurst
2/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 5, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
This Week Air Force (13-10-5, 10-8-4 AHA) travels to Erie, Pa., for a two-game league series with Mercyhurst (9-14-5, 9-6-5), Friday, Feb. 8, 7:35 pm EST and Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:05 pm EST.
Radio/Internet Both games will be broadcast. Friday's game will be broadcast to the internet only at GoAirForceFalcons.com. Saturday's game will be on the radio on KKML AM 1300 The Sports Animal and on the internet at GoAirForceFalcons.com. Jay Ritchie will do the play-by-play while Dave Toller will do the color. The pregame show begins 20 minutes prior to faceoff each night.
Video Streaming/Television Both games will be video streamed with audio by the B2 Network on a subscription basis. For more information, please go to the Atlantic Hockey Association web-site at AtlanticHockeyOnline.com. No television.
Last Week Air Force took three points at home from Bentley with a 4-4 overtime tie Friday and a 3-1 win Saturday Mercyhurst swept the series at Holy Cross, 6-3 and 2-1, in Worcester, Mass.
Rankings Air Force has received votes every week in the USCHO/CSTV poll. Based on the number of votes, Air Force was No. 26 this week. The Falcons did not receive votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll or the InsideCollegeHockey.com poll. Air Force peaked at No. 20 in the poll the week of Jan. 21. Mercyhurst is unranked
Scouting The Opponents Mercyhurst is 9-14-5 overall and 9-6-5 in the AHA, tied for fourth place with Sacred Heart with 23 points, one point behind Air Force. The Lakers' record is deceiving as the team is 0-8 in non-conference games. However, all eight teams were ranked in the top 20 at the time of the game. MC lost to Ohio State, Notre Dame, Maine, Michigan State and Michigan Tech this season. Recently, Mercyhurst is playing its best hockey of the season. The Lakers swept two games at Holy Cross last weekend, 6-3 and 2-1. The Lakers are 4-1-3 in their last eight games and 7-1-3 in their last 11 league games. Mercyhurst is averaging 3.0 goals per game in league games and allowing 2.75. Senior Ben Cottreau leads the team with eight goals and 24 points. Three of the team's top four scorers are freshmen. Junior Matt Lundin and freshman Ryan Zapolski have split time in the nets this season. Lundin has the better numbers with a .922 saves percentage and a 2.47 saves percentage. He has started the last six games. Zapolski played both games against Air Force earlier this season.
The Coaches Air Force coach Frank Serratore (Bemidji State, 1982) is in his 11th season with the Falcons and his 15th as a collegiate head coach. He has an Air Force record of 161-199-28. His overall mark is 210-291-37. Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin is in his 20th season with the Lakers with a career and overall record of 356-232-43.
Series Records Mercyhurst and Air Force have played six times and each team has won three. The Falcons swept the Lakers in Erie, Pa., last season, by scores of 5-3 and 3-1. Mercyhurst returned the favor by sweeping Air Force later in the season, 7-5 and 3-2 in overtime. The teams split the series earlier this season at Air Force.
Earlier This Season Air Force and Mercyhurst split the series at Air Force, Nov. 2-3. Mercyhurst won the first game, 5-3, while AFA won the second game, 6-2. In the first game, the Lakers scored three in the second period and held on for the 5-3 win. Scott Pitt scored two goals for the Lakers. Goaltender Ryan Zapolski made 34 saves while Andrew Volkening made 25 for AFA. The Falcons outshot the Lakers, 37-30. In the second game, Air Force scored five goals in the third period for a 6-2 win. Goals by Matt Pierce and Matt Fennell gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead. Brett Nylander's goal midway through the first period made the score 2-1. Then, in the third period, Air Force exploded for five goals. Matt Becker's first career goal tied the game 3:38 into the period. Blake Page netted the eventual game-winner at 5:06. Scott Kozlak scored on a delayed penalty at 5:53. Greg Flynn and Eric Ehn added insurance goals. AFA outshot Mercyhurst, 43-18, in the game. Zapolski made 37 saves while Volkening had 16.
Tight Conference Race As many people expected, the Atlantic Hockey race is getting tighter every weekend. The top five teams in the league are separated by just three points. RIT is in first with 26 points, but Air Force and Army are just two points back (24) and Mercyhurst and Sacred Heart are just three points back (23). RIT and Air Force have played two more games than every other league team.
Olson Among League's Top Goal Scorers Junior right winger Brent Olson is one of the top offensive players in Atlantic Hockey. Olson is tied for second in the league in points with 27 and is tied for fifth in the AHA with 13 goals. He broke a three-game scoring drought with three points in the Bentley series. In an 11-game stretch in December and January, the Baudette, Minn., native had 10 goals and seven assists. Olson has scored two goals in a game three games this season, vs. AIC, Nov. 30, Canisius, Dec. 8 and Minnesota, Dec. 30. In the Minnesota game, his second goal came after the Falcons pulled the goalie and he tied the game at 2-2 with 1:02 remaining in the third period. As a result, Air Force earned a 2-2 overtime tie against Minnesota on the Gophers' home ice. Olson's goals, assists and points this season are all career-bests. He missed the final 18 games last season, including the AHA Playoffs and the NCAA Regional, to focus on academics.
Flynn Leads the League Junior defenseman Greg Flynn leads the AHA in points by a defenseman with 21 points (4-17-21) in 28 games. He had a career-best five points, all assists, in the RIT series, Jan. 11-12. Last weekend, he had two points in the first game against Bentley with one goal and one assist. The Lino Lakes, Minn., native is tied for eighth in the nation in points by a defenseman.
