Air Force (8-6, 8-4 AHC) vs. Mercyhurst (7-7-2, 5-4-1 AHC)

Friday at 7:35 p.m. and Saturday at 5:05 p.m. at Cadet Area

Radio / Internet: 1300 AM / atlantichockey.tv (subscription)

Series: Air Force leads, 18-14-3

Last season: The teams split two games at Cadet Arena, with Mercyhurst winning 1-0 and the Falcons taking the second game 5-1

Overview

Air Force has the opportunity to end the season’s first half on another up note after its sweep at RIT. The Falcons have won seven of their past nine and face a Mercyhurst team that has points in seven of its past nine as well (6-2-1). … Senior captain Derek Barach is one of the top players in AHC, and his totals of 16 points and eight goals reflect that. Junior defenseman Joseph Duszak is another offensive threat with 15 points (12 assists). Offense is the name of the game for the Lakers, who nearly beat then No. 5 Notre Dame in the season-opening Ice Breaker tournament, tying the Irish 6-6. … If the Falcons get three goals, they win (they’re 7-0 this season when that happens). … They got a big boost from senior center Evan Feno‘s return last weekend. He had three of his team-high eight goals at RIT and scored the game winner both nights. Defenseman Matt Koch has nine assists. Forward Kieran Durgan struck again last weekend, and his six goals are the most by a freshman in AHC. Another player to watch for the Falcons is wing Trevor Stone. His play all season has been strong, but it’s been even better of late, and he has the shot to put up points in a hurry. … The Falcons’ penalty kill has a run of 22 consecutive successes.

Three keys for Air Force

1. Help a brother out – When Billy Christopoulos was out, the Falcons played terrific 200-foot defense against Bentley to help out Zach LaRocque, who was making his first NCAA starts. The next weekend, that didn’t happen and AIC blew the Falcons out twice in a row. Last weekend, Air Force played another tough defensive game and held RIT to fewer than 20 shots in Christopoulos’ return. On Saturday, Christopoulos, who was selected AHC’s goalie of the week, was magnificent in shutting out the Tigers but his teammates admitted they didn’t help him out. When Air Force plays D all over the ice, it is a handful. When it doesn’t, the goalies have to generate other-worldly efforts.
2. Fun and gun – No, this isn’t about weapons training for Cadets. Rather it’s about the style Mercyhurst tends to play – wide open and willing to trade chances. It’s entertaining hockey, but not a style the Falcons should be lured into if at all possible because that’s not how they play their best (see the first point). This does, however, present opportunities for counter attacks, and the Lakers are breaking in a new goalie this season in sophomore Stefano Cantali (4-5-1, 2.86, .903).
3. Meeting of the minds – This series matches two of the masters in college hockey. Mercyhurst’s Rick Gotkin is Division I’s longest-tenured coach at 31 seasons. The Falcons’ Frank Serratore is the seventh-longest at 22. It will be absolutely fascinating to watch what they cook up and the adjustments they and their staffs make as the games progress.

©First Line Editorial 2017-18