Falcons travel to Alabama-Huntsville, Oct. 21-22
10/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 19, 2011
This Week Air Force (2-2-0, 2-0-0 AHA) travels to Alabama-Huntsville (0-6-0) for a two-game non-conference series, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 21-22, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala. Faceoff is at 7:05 p.m. CT each night.
Radio/Internet/Television Both games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs on The Sports Animal AM 1300 and on the internet at www.GoAirForceFalcons.com. Pregame show begins 30 minutes before faceoff each day.
The Coach Head coach Frank Serratore enters his 15th season at Air Force with a record of 236-241-44 record. He is the winningest coach in the history of Air Force hockey, having led Air Force to four AHA championships and four NCAA Tournaments in the last five years. In his 19th season as a collegiate head coach, he has an overall record of 285-333-53.
On the Edge of Your Seat Last season, 24 of Air Force's 38 games were decided by one goal or ended in a tie and AFA was 12-6-6 in those games. This season, Air Force has played four games and all four were essentially one-goal games (one was a two-goal final deficit including an empty-netter). AFA had a 3-2 lead in the third period against No. 3 North Dakota, but fell 4-3. AFA had a 2-1 lead in the third, but fell to Michigan State, 3-2 in overtime. The Falcons beat Niagara, 3-2, in overtime on Oct. 14 on Kyle De Laurell's goal. On Oct. 16, John Kruse's empty-netter sealed a 4-2 win over Robert Morris
The Rankings Air Force is currently receiving votes in both national polls (USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine. AFA was also receiving votes in both preseason polls
2-0 in League Air Force is 2-0 in Atlantic Hockey for the third time since joining the league in 2006-07. In 2008-09, AFA was opened AHA play with an 11-0 record. In 2009-10, the Falcons opened league play with a 2-0 record.
Familiar Foe Air Force and Alabama-Huntsville were charter members of College Hockey America and competed as league rivals from 1999-2000 through 2005-06. During that time, the teams played each other 29 times in the seven-year span. As league rivals, AFA was 7-21-1. The last time the Falcons played in Huntsville was in January, 2006, a pair of UAH wins
Scouting the Chargers Alabama-Huntsville is 0-6-0 overall this season, having been swept by 19th-ranked Lake Superior State at home, at 11th-ranked Western Michigan and by Bowling Green at home last weekend. The Chargers have been outscored, 21-5, this season Sophomore forward Mac Roy leads the team with two goals and is tied for the team lead with three points. Junior forward Justin Cseter and freshman defenseman also have three points. Sophomores Clarke Saunders and John Griggs have split time in goal. Saunders has played four games and has a 3.02 GAA and a .907 saves percentage Griggs has played two games and has a 4.54 GAA and a .859 saves percentage
The Series vs. UAH AFA and UAH will play for the 58th and 59th times. AFA is 3-21-1 all-time in games played vs. UAH in Huntsville with the only wins coming in 1986, 1989 and 2005 UAH leads the all-time series 38-17-2. AFA has won four of the last six in the series. In the last meeting between the teams, UAH swept Air Force by identical 4-2 scores in 2009 at the Academy
