Falcons host Canisius, Jan. 13-14
1/10/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
This Week
Air Force (13-6-3, 10-3-1 AHC) returns home for a two-game conference series against the Canisius Golden Griffins (7-10-4, 6-4-3), Friday-Saturday, Jan. 13-14, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Friday's faceoff is at 7:05 pm MT while Saturday's game will start at 5:05 pm MT. Air Force is in first place in the conference while Canisius is tied for fifth.
The Streak
Air Force has won six straight games, all in conference play. The streak is the longest since the Falcons won eight straight late in the 2010-11 season. That streak ended in overtime against Yale in the NCAA East Regional. The streak ties as the longest active streak in the nation as Harvard and Mass.-Lowell each have won six straight.
Live Stream
Both games will be streamed on AtlanticHockey.tv for a subscription fee.
Radio/Internet
Both games will be broadcast on Xtra Sports 1300. Both games are available online at GoAirForceFalcons.com. Jay Ritchie will call the play-by-play while Dave Toller will provide color analysis. Pregame show begins 30 minutes before faceoff each day.
Scouting the Griffs
Canisius is 7-10-4 overall and tied for fifth in the league with a 6-4-3 record. Last weekend, the Griffs tied and lost in a two-game, non-conference home series against St. Lawrence. Prior to that, the Griffs split with Holy Cross and took three points from Bentley. Freshman Nick Hutchison leads the team with seven goals. Hutchison and junior Ryan Smelzer are tied for the team lead with 11 points. Senior Charles Williams has seen the most action in goal and has a 2.15 GAA and a .937 saves percentage. He ranks third in Atlantic Hockey in both categories. The Griffs rank last in the conference in scoring offense, but third in scoring defense.
Series vs. the Griffs
Air Force leads the all-time series vs. Canisius, 18-10-8. The series began in 2006 when Air Force joined Atlantic Hockey. Air Force and Canisius have played 20 times at the Academy and the Falcons lead the series, 9-7-4. The teams played six times last season. Air Force took five of the eight points in four regular season games and then swept the Griffs in the AHC Quarterfinals at the Academy in March. Twenty-six of the 36 games in the series have been decided by two goals or less, including all four regular-season games last season.
Trending
Over the last five games, junior Erik Baskin is on a tear ... After just six points in the first 17 games, he has six points (4-2-6) in the last five games ... He tied his career high two goals vs. Mercyhurst, Jan. 7 ... Defenseman Matt Koch had a career high two assists vs. Mercyhurst on Jan. 7 and has seven points in his last nine games ... Freshman Trevor Stone had a career high two goals vs. Mercyhurst on Jan. 6 and has four goals in 12 games this season ... A.J. Reid has two goals and three points in his last four games ... He got off to a slow start with three points in the first 18 games, but netted the game-winner vs. Sacred Heart (Dec. 30) and Mercyhurst (Jan. 7) ... Kyle Haak has scored at least one point in three straight games and has scored at least one point in eight of the last nine games ... He leads the team with 20 points (7-13-20) ... Phil Boje is the top scoring defenseman with 15 points (5-10-15) points ... Boje also leads the team, and ranks third in the league, with 43 blocked shots ... He had a career high eight blocks vs. Mercyhurst, Jan. 6 ... Jordan Himley leads the team with 10 goals and scored the game-winner vs. Mercyhurst, Jan. 6 ... In his last 14 games, he has nine goals and 12 points.
The Rankings
Air Force is just outside of both national polls. In the USCHO.com Top 20 poll, the Falcons are No. 2 based on the number of votes received. In the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Top 15 poll, the Falcons are No. 17. In the PairWise rankings that mimic the method used by the NCAA Selection Committee. Air Force cracked the national rankings early in the season. The Falcons were No. 18 in the USCHO.com poll on Oct. 10 after winning the Icebreaker Tournament. A road split at Arizona State took the Falcons out of the top 20.
