No. 17 Falcons face Army in AHC Semifinals
3/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
This Week
No. 17 Air Force (24-9-5, 19-6-3 AHC) returns to Rochester, N.Y., for the Atlantic Hockey Conference Final Four, March 17-18, at the Blue Cross Arena. The Falcons are the No. 2 seed and will face No. 3 seed Army West Point (18-13-5, 15-10-3 AHC) in the semifinals, Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET. In the other semifinal, No. 1 Canisius will face No. 4 Robert Morris at 4:35 p.m. ET.
The National Rankings
Air Force is in the national rankings for the sixth straight week, standing at 17th in the current USCHO.com poll. The No. 17 ranking ties as the team's highest this season. Air Force is 15th in the PairWise rankings and receiving votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.
The Coach
Head coach Frank Serratore is in his 20th season at Air Force with a record of 353-319-76 (748 games). The 4-3 win over Arizona State, Oct. 14, was his 300th win over Division I teams while at Air Force. The 2016 AHC Coach of the Year, he is the winningest coach in the history of Air Force hockey, having led Air Force to two regular-season titles, five AHC tournament championships and five NCAA Tournaments in the last 10 years. In 24 seasons as a collegiate head coach, he has an overall record of 402-411-85 (898 games).
A Return to Roch
Air Force will make its second straight trip to the Atlantic Hockey Final Four in Rochester, N.Y. It will also be Air Force's eighth trip in the Falcons' 11 years in the league. Air Force advanced its first six years, 2007-12. The Falcons lost in the quarterfinals in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Air Force is 10-2 all-time at the AHC Final Four. The Falcons won the title in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. The Falcons lost in the semifinals in 2010 (Sacred Heart) and 2016 (RIT).
Series vs. the Black Knights
Air Force leads the all-time series vs. Army, 40-21-6. Air Force and Army met four times this season and Air Force won three of the four. The teams split the series in West Point in November as Army won, 4-2, and Air Force won 3-1. The teams met at Air Force in January and the Falcons swept the series by scores of 3-1 and 3-2. In the last 14 games vs. Army, Air Force is 10-1-3 vs. the Black Knights dating back to 2011. In Atlantic Hockey games (since 2006-07), Air Force leads the series, 17-6-4. Since becoming the Falcons' coach in 1997, Serratore is 29-12-3 vs. the Black Knights. Friday's game will be the fourth playoff matchup between Air Force and Army. The Falcons have won all three. In the first Atlantic Hockey championship appearance for both teams, Air Force defeated Army to win the 2007 championship, 6-1. In 2010, Air Force swept Army in a quarterfinal series in Colorado, 3-2 and 4-2.
Earlier this Season vs. Army West Point
Air Force and Army met four times this season and the Falcons won three of the games. The teams split the series in West Point in November as Army won, 4-2, and Air Force won 3-1. The teams met at Air Force in January and the Falcons swept the series by scores of 3-1 and 3-2. The three games that were decided by two goals all included an empty-netter. In the series this season, Air Force outscored Army, 11-8, and outshot the Black Knights, 111-93. Each team scored a short-handed goal in the series, but neither team scored on the power play. Air Force was 0-for-11 and Army was 0-for-15. Phil Boje (1-3-4) and Evan Giesler (0-4-4) each had four points in the series. Dan Bailey, Erik Baskin and Tyler Ledford each scored two goals. Shane Starrett started all four games and had a 1.77 GAA, a .924 saves percentage and a 3-1 record. Connor Andrle had three points (1-2-3) and Blake Box had two goals to lead the Black Knights offensively. Parker Gahagen started all four games and had a 2.28 GAA and a .917 saves percentage.
