Air Force hosts AIC, March 8-10, in AHA Quarterfinals

THE GAMES
Game 37: Friday, March 8 vs. AIC, 7:05 pm MT, Cadet Ice Arena
Game 38: Saturday, March 9, vs. AIC, 7:05 pm MT, Cadet Ice Arena
Game 39: Sunday, March 10 vs. AIC, 5:05 pm MT, Cadet Ice Arena (if necessary)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television:............... None
Stream: .................. FloHockey
Radio:..................... Friday: XtraSports 1300 AM / Saturday-Sunday: AM 740 KVOR
Live Stats................ StatBroadcast

THE BREAKDOWN
Quick Facts: ........... No. 4 Air Force                               No. 5 AIC
Record: .................. 18-17-1, 15-10-1 AHA                  16-14-4 12-10-4 AHA
Streak: ................... W 3                                                  Unbeaten 5 (2-0-3)
Last Game/Series: .. Swept Robert Morris at home   Took 4 points at Army

THE SERIES
Overall: .................. 34-14-5
Last Meeting: ......... Split a two-game series at USAFA, Jan. 12-13
Streak: RMU W 2

One Timers
* Air Force's fourth-place finish in Atlantic Hockey is the highest since the Falcons finished third in 2019. It is just the second time the Falcons have been the No. 4 seed and the first time since 2007 when the Falcons won the AHA Tournament
* Air Force's 18 wins are the most since the 2017-18 team went 23-15-5, won the AHA Tournament and reached the NCAA Elite Eight.
* AF closed out the regular season with a three-game winning streak, tying the longest of the season.
* AF will host the No. 5 AIC Yellow Jackets in a quarterfinal series, March 8-10, at Cadet Ice Arena.
* Air Force and AIC split a two-game series, Jan. 12-13, at the Cadet Ice Arena. AF won the first game, 6-1, as Chris Hedden had three points (2-1-3) and Guy Blessing had 25 saves. AIC won game two, 4-1, as Alfred Lindberg had three points (2-1-3) and Nils Wallstrom stopped 29 of 30.
* AIC is unbeaten in their last five games going 2-0-3
* The Falcons' 33 power-play goals this season lead the AHA and are sixth in the nation.
* Air Force leads the AHA and is seventh in the nation with a .546 faceoff winning percentage.
* Air Force's penalty kill (84.3) is fifth in the AHA and 11th in the nation.
* AF leads the nation with nine SHG. Air Force is 6-0 this season when scoring a shortie
* The Falcons are 16-7-0 when scoring three or more goals and 2-10-1 when scoring two or less.
* Air Force is 13-5-0 when scoring the first goal of the game and 4-13-1 when allowing it.
* Will Gavin leads the AHA and ranks 13th in the nation with 19 goals this season. His 19 goals are the most by a Falcon since Jordan Himley's 22 in 2016-17.
* Gavin's 11 PPG lead the AHA and are fourth in the nation. They are the most since Jacques Lamoureux had 13 in 2010-11
* Gavin and Hedden are tied for third in the league in points with 36 each
* Hedden's 36 points are the most by a Falcon defenseman since Greg Flynn had 42 in 2008-09
* Clayton Cosentino won 33 faceoffs vs. RMU and leads the nation with 557 faceoff wins.
* Austin Schwartz scored a SHG vs. RMU and leads the nation with four SHG this season.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets
AIC is 16-14-4 overall and 12-10-4 and finished fifth in Atlantic Hockey. The Yellow Jackets closed out the regular season going unbeaten in their last five games (2-0-3). On the final weekend of the regular season, AIC took four points from Army to lock up fifth place. Forward Dustin Manz leads the team with 22 assists and 28 points. Freshman goalie Nils Wallstrom has started 27 games between the pipes and has a 2.42 goals-against average and a .912 saves percentage to rank in the top half of the league in both categories.

Series vs. AIC
Air Force and AIC have played 55 times and the Falcons hold a 35-15-5 lead in the series that began in 1980. As Atlantic Hockey rivals, the teams have played 47 times and Air Force has a 27-15-5 lead in the league series. Earlier this season, Air Force and AIC split a two-game series, Jan. 12-13, at the Cadet Ice Arena. AF won the first game, 6-1, while AIC won game two, 4-1. AIC is 10-1-1 in the last 12 against Air Force. The Falcons have just one win over AIC since the 2017-18 season (1-11-2).
In the playoffs, AF has a 2-1 record against AIC. The Falcons swept the Yellow Jackets in a 2015 first-round series at the Cadet Ice Arena, 6-1 and 10-3. In 2022, AIC defeated Air Force, 7-0, in the AHA championship game in Utica, N.Y.

Air Force hosts AIC, March 8-10, in AHA Quarterfinals

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Players Mentioned

Guy Blessing

Clayton Cosentino

Will Gavin

Chris Hedden

Austin Schwartz

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