Air Force (1-2-1) vs. RIT (3-1)

Thursday and Friday, 7 p.m., Cadet Ice Arena

Streaming / Radio: Flohockey.tv / AM 1300

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

As much as an October matchup can be a big one, this is a big one in Atlantic Hockey between two teams that are all too familiar with one another and are projected to be among the league’s best. All three meetings between the teams were one-goal affairs last season, most notably the third one, when the Falcons edged the Tigers, 4-3, in an AHA semifinal. Three weeks before that, the Falcons won a 1-0 contest in overtime to earn a crucial first-round playoff bye one night after RIT had won in overtime.

Air Force staved off what could have been a devastating weekend with a gutty, 5-3 victory over first-year NCAA program Lindenwood on Saturday. That came on the heels of a 7-6 loss on Friday, when Lindenwood scored the game’s final five goals. … Sophomore Guy Blessing made his season debut in Saturday’s victory, and Willie Reim scored two goals. Reim and Will Gavin, who had two goals Friday and another on Saturday, each have six points to lead the Falcons. The top defense pair of Luke Rowe and Brandon Koch each has five points. … Both teams have power plays that are effective more than 30 percent of the time, but a big difference has been the penalty kills. RIT has been successful 85.7 percent of the time, while Air Force is at 66.7 percent after a rough weekend in that department against Lindenwood.

RIT has won three in a row, sweeping Army West Point and avenging a season-loss to Union College this past Saturday. After scoring 10 goals in their first three games, the Tigers had eight Saturday, including three by freshman Tyler Mahan. Defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata leads RIT with six points, and four players, including reigning Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year Carter Wilkie, have four. … Sophomore Tommy Scarfone has started three of the Tigers’ four games, going 2-1, but senior Kolby Matthews allowed just one goal on 26 shots in a victory against Army.

The contest matches two of the deans of college hockey coaches in Wayne Wilson, who has been at RIT since 1999, and Air Force’s Frank Serratore, who is in his 26th season.

©First Line Editorial 2022