Air Force (0-2) at Canisius (1-1, 1-1 AHC)
5:35 p.m. (MDT) Friday and Saturday
Radio/TV: AM 1300, goairforcefalcons.com / Atlantichockey.tv (subscription)
Series: Air Force leads, 21-13-9
Last meeting: The Falcons shut out the Golden Griffins, 3-0, in an Atlantic Hockey semifinal last March. Seniors Kyle Haak and Matt Serratore each had a goal, and Billy Christopoulos stopped all 24 shots he saw. Air Force won three of four regular-season meetings in 2017-18.
Overview
While the Falcons dropped a pair of games to in-state rivals Denver and Colorado College by a cumulative 10-2, Canisius scored nine goals in a split with Holy Cross. Forward Nick Hutchison had three goals and four points, and defenseman Jimmy Mazza had three assists among his four points. The Golden Griffins also have one of the top players in the conference in forward Dylan McLaughlin, who had two goals last weekend. Sophomore goalie Tucker Weppner played both games and has a 4.04 goals-against average and .840 save percentage. … Serratore and fellow co-captain Evan Giesler each had a goal for the Falcons last weekend, while fellow seniors Matt Koch and Evan Feno assisted on both goals, both of which came on the power play.
Three things to watch
Where will the offense come from? Air Force can’t live on power-play goals alone. Which line or lines will step up at even strength to generate some offense? Are there changes coming to some line combinations to generate a spark? Serratore (10 points), Haak (9) and defenseman Zack Mirageas (7) have absolutely feasted on the Golden Griffins in the past.
Tightening up the D – The young Falcons’ defense faces another stern test against a talented, veteran Canisius team. Can the D make better exits from their zone and not get caught for extended periods? That will be of paramount importance.
Paging Billy the Greek – Christopoulos was decent against Denver but the roof caved in a bit at CC and he was pulled after giving up his fifth goal. There is no doubt he’ll start both games, but on the road against a tough opponent, the Falcons might need him to steal one for them. And remember, he only allowed 10 goals against the Golden Griffins in five games last season.
©First Line Editorial 2017-18