Falcons host Bemidji State, Dec. 29-30

This Week: Air Force (9-7-0, 9-5-0 AHC) hosts the Bemidji State Beavers (8-8-2, 6-5-1 WCHA), Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 29-30, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Saturday's faceoff is at 7:05 pm while Sunday's game starts at 5:05 pm MT.

Live Stream: Every home game and every Atlantic Hockey game will be streamed on AtlanticHockey.tv for a subscription fee.

Radio/Internet: Every game will be broadcast on Xtra Sports 1300 in Colorado Springs and will be available online at www.GoAirForceFalcons.com. The game is also available on TuneIn. Jay Ritchie will call the play-by-play while Dave Toller will provide color analysis. Pregame show begins 30 minutes before faceoff.

Trending: Senior forward Evan Feno leads the team with eight goals and 12 points ... Senior defenseman Matt Koch leads the team with 10 assists ... Feno and Giesler are tied for the team lead with three power play goals ... After missing four games, Billy Christopoulos returned for the RIT series and has started the last four games ... Air Force ranks third in the nation in penalty kill at 89.4 percent ... Air Force and Bemidji State are two of the best defensive teams in the nation ... AF ranks 10th in the nation in shots allowed (25.06) while BSU is eighth (24.22) ... AF and BSU are two of the least penalized teams in the nation as well ... The Falcons take just 9.0 minutes per game (eighth fewest in the nation) while BSU takes just 9.2 per game (ninth fewest).

A Family Affair: Air Force and Bemidji State have numerous ties, but it all starts with the coaches. Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore is the younger brother of Air Force head coach Frank Serratore. Air Force senior winger Matt Serratore is Tom's son. Both Frank (1982) and Tom (1987) are Bemidji State graduates

Land of 10,000 Lakes: Air Force has eight players from the state of Minnesota: Erik Anderson (Chanhassen), Dan Bailey (St. Cloud), Matt Koch (Hastings), Alex Mehnert (Moorhead), Tyler Jutting (Mankato), Alex Schilling (Medina), Jensen Zerban (Elk River) and Matt Serratore (Bemidji). Two members of the hockey staff are also from Minnesota: Frank Serratore (Coleraine) and Andy Berg (Stillwater).

Scouting the Beavers: Bemidji State is 8-8-2 overall and 6-5-1 and in fifth place in the WCHA. The Beavers are 2-2 in their last four with splits against Alabama-Huntsville and Alaska Anchorage. Sophomore Charlie Combs leads the team with nine goals and 14 points. Sophomores Henry Johnson and Zach Driscoll have split time in goal. Johnson has a 1.70 GAA and a .927 saves percentage. Driscoll has a 2.59 GAA and a .895 saves percentage. Johnson has started the last two games and three of the last four

Series vs. Bemidji State Air Force and Bemidji have played 37 times and the Beavers hold a 26-9-2 lead in the series that began in 1997. The team split a two-game series last season in Bemidji, the first meeting between the teams since 2009. BSU won the first game, 4-1, while AF won game two, 5-1. From 1999-00 to 2005-06, the teams were both members of the College Hockey America. Tom Serratore took over at Bemidji State for the 2001-02 season. With the two brothers at the helm, the Beavers have gotten the better of the series, 21-4-1. Since Air Force joined Atlantic Hockey (2006-07), the Falcons and Beavers have played six times with each team winning three games. The teams have played 15 times at the Academy and the Beavers hold and 8-7 edge. Air Force has won two straight, and three of the last four at Cadet Ice Arena.

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Players Mentioned

Erik Anderson

Dan Bailey

Billy Christopoulos

Evan Feno

Tyler Jutting

Matt Koch

Alex Mehnert

Alex Schilling

Matt Serratore

Jensen Zerban

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