Air Force Academy

Feb. 15, 2011

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week Air Force (12-11-6 overall, 10-7-6 in AHA) travels to Erie, Pa., for a two-game AHA series with the Mercyhurst Lakers (13-13-4 overall and 11-10-2 in AHA), Friday-Saturday, Feb. 18-19, at 7:05 p.m. each night ET. The Falcons are in fifth place in the AHA with 26 points while Mercyhurst is sixth with 24 points.

Radio/Internet The games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs on The Sports Animal AM 1300 and on the internet at www.GoAirForceFalcons.com. Pregame show begins 30 minutes before faceoff. Jay Ritchie will call the play-by-play while Dave Toller will be the color analyst. Both games will be video streamed with audio by America One Television. Subscriptions can be purchased at www.americaone.com/college.

The Playoff Picture With four games (eight points) left in the regular season, Air Force is three points behind Robert Morris for second place. The No. 2 team gets a bye in the first round of the playoffs (March 5). AFA and RMU play each other the final regular season weekend, Feb. 25-26, at the Academy. The third and fourth place teams in the west pod will host a first round game. Right now, that would be Niagara and Air Force, but AFA will need to maintain its two-point lead over Mercyhurst to hold on to home ice. For more on the playoffs, see page six of this release.

Scouting the Mercyhurst Lakers Mercyhurst is 13-13-4 overall and 11-10-2 in the AHA for sixth place. In the last 10 games, the Lakers are 6-2-2. Mercyhurst got off to a slow start with an 0-4-1 record. The Lakers were swept at home by AIC in November and slipped to 5-9-1 after losing two to RIT in December. Two weeks ago, the Lakers scored 12 goals in a two-game home and away sweep of Niagara. The Lakers are 7-7-1 at home this season. Senior Scott Pitt leads the team with 14 goals and 31 points. Senior Ryan Zapolski is one of the top goaltenders in the league with a .924 saves percentage and a 2.70 GAA.

Series with Mercyhurst AFA and Mercyhurst have played 15 times and the Lakers hold the series lead, 7-6-2. AFA is winless in the last three vs. the Lakers, 0-2-1 dating back to a 2-0 Falcon win in the AHA Championship game in 2009. In the last six games, AFA is just 1-3-2 vs. Mercyhurst. AFA is 3-2-1 all-time in Erie, Pa. The teams last met in Erie in January, 2009 and both games went into overtime, a 4-4 tie and a 3-2 Laker win. Air Force's last win in Erie was a 7-0 decision in February, 2008.

On the edge of your seat Air Force's last nine games have certainly kept the fans entertained. Each of the last nine games have been decided by one goal or ended in a tie and Air Force is 3-3-3 in those games. Five of the last seven games have gone into overtime and AFA is 0-2-3 in those games. Air Force has played nine overtime games this season, just two shy of the school record. This season, nine of Air Force's 12 wins have been by one goal. AFA is 9-5 in games decided by one goal. The Falcons are 1-2-6 in overtime this season.