Colorado College Tigers (3-12-1, 1-6-1 NCHC) vs. Merrimack Warriors (6-8-3, 1-4-3 HEA)

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 7:30 pm (ET)
Germain Arena (7,186) | Estero, Fla.
2016 Florida College Hockey Classic

Game Notes: Colorado College | Merrimack
Radio: KRDO 1240 AM/105.5 FM (Ken Landau) | Listen Live
TV: None
Live Streaming: www.ivyleaguedigitalnetwork.com | Watch Live
Website: www.CCTigers.com
Twitter: CC_Hockey1
Facebook: Colorado College Tiger Hockey

Florida College Hockey Classic
Colorado College plays in the Florida College Hockey Classic, Dec. 28-29, in Estero, Fla. The Tigers open the tournament against Merrimack on Dec. 28 at 7:30 p.m. (ET), then play either tournament host Cornell or Northern Michigan on Dec. 29. Both games will be broadcast on KRDO NewsRadio 1240 AM and 105.5 FM and streamed live on The Ivy League Digital Network (subscription).

Last Time Out
The Tigers played a pair of overtime games at Miami, Dec. 9-10 ... On Friday, freshman Alex Leclerc made a career-high 35 saves and senior Luc Gerdes scored his third goal of the season as CC snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 1-1 tie. After two scoreless overtime periods, Miami's Anthony Louis scored in the shootout, while sophomore Mason Bergh's attempt was saved by RedHawk goalie Ryan Larkin ... On Saturday, freshman Alex Berardinelli scored on a breakaway in the first period and Bergh gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead midway through the second, but Miami scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the third and Josh Melnick won it for the RedHawks at the 1:34 mark of overtime. Berardinelli and freshman Nick Halloran assisted on Bergh's team-high seventh goal of the season.

Tiger Tales
Friday's game at Miami was CC's first overtime contest this season ... CC is 0-4-5 in its last nine overtime games, dating back to a 3-2 overtime win at North Dakota on March 15, 2014 in the NCHC playoffs ... Berardinelli leads the team with three multiple-point games this season ... On Saturday, Dec. 10 at Miami, sophomore David Radke appeared in his first game since Nov. 4, 2015.
      
Up Next
After playing either Cornell or Northern Michigan on Dec. 29, Colorado College returns to action after the New Year with a series at top-ranked Minnesota Duluth, Jan. 6-7, at Amsoil Arena.

For the Record
Colorado College is 3-12-1 overall and 1-6-1 in the NCHC … Merrimack is 6-8-3 overall and 1-4-3 in Hockey East. The Warriors were swept by No. 7 UMass-Lowell, 4-1 and 5-1, the weekend of Dec. 9-10.
 
The Coaches
Mike Haviland (Elmira College, '90) is in his third season at the helm of the Tigers. He came to Colorado College after serving one year as head coach of the Hershey Bears (AHL). Haviland was an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-12, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2010. Haviland owns a career record of 176-104-36 as a head coach in the American Hockey League and 172-81-35 in the East Coast Hockey League … Mark Dennehy (Boston College, '91) is in his 12th season as head coach at Merrimack. He holds an overall record of 150-242-56, which includes one season as the head coach of Fairfield University, and was named the 2009-10 Co-Hockey East Coach of the Year.

Scouting the Opposition
Brett Seney leads the Warriors with 14 points (5g, 9a), followed by Hampus Gustafsson with 13 (8g, 5a). Drew Vogler is 5-6-3 in the net this season with a 2.73 goals-against average and .903 saves percentage.

Previous Meetings
Colorado College and Merrimack have met only once and the Tigers were victorious, 5-0, at the Nye Frontier Classic in Anchorage, Alaska, on Oct. 14, 2006.

On the Air
All CC games in 2016-17, home and away, will be broadcast live throughout Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 FM and 1240 AM, featuring Ken Landau with the play-by-play. The broadcasts also can be heard worldwide via the Internet. Select games will be broadcast on 93.7 FM KSBV in the Salida, Buena Vista and Monarch regions.

Second Appearance at Florida College Hockey Classic
Colorado College's only previous appearance in the Florida College Hockey Classic was in 2009. The Tigers finished second that year after defeating Cornell, 4-2, in the first round and falling to Maine, 3-2, in the final.

Road Warriors
The Tigers are 3-5-1 this season on the road, which marks the most road wins in one season since the 2012-13 campaign. CC had two wins away from home in 2013-14 and last season, and one in '14-15.

Balanced Scoring
CC has 21 players with at least one point in the first 16 games. Bergh leads the team with 10 points, followed by Berardinelli with eight and Halloran with seven. Five players have six points apiece, while another two each have five points.

Most Shortys in Four Years
CC has three shorthanded goals in its first 16 games, the most in one season since scoring eight in the 2012-13 campaign. Two of the three were scored in the 4-3 victory over New Hampshire, the first time with multiple SHG in one game since a 5-4 victory over Clarkson on Oct. 12, 2012.
Underclassmen Leading the Charge
Freshmen and sophomores accounted for five of the team's seven points during the series against Miami. Those two classes have scored 28 of CC's 36 goals and recorded 45 of the 54 assists this season.

Scoring Outburst at UMass
CC's seven goals on Oct. 8 at UMass were the most in one game since defeating Boston College 8-4 in the NCAA Midwest Regional on March 25, 2011. The Tigers' four goals in the first period of that game were the most since scoring four in the second period vs. Denver on Feb. 9, 2013. CC defeated the Pioneers, 6-5, in overtime that game. Including CC's five goals on Oct. 14 vs. UMass-Lowell, it was the first time CC scored 12 goals in a two-game stretch was Dec. 3-4, 2010, winning at Michigan Tech 7-3 and 5-0.

This Year's Leadership
Senior forward Sam Rothstein (Minnetonka, MN) is serving as team captain for the second consecutive year in 2016-17. Rothstein, who was the first junior to be named captain at CC since Mark Stuart in 2004-05, scored 15 points (6g,9a) last season and has 52 (19g, 33a) in 109 career games. He is the first Tiger to be captain for two seasons since Eric Rud in 1995-96 and '96-97 ... Senior forward Luc Gerdes (Eden Prairie, MN), the team's leading returning scorer with 18 points (7g, 11a), and sophomore Andrew Farny (Steamboat Springs, CO), who was third on the team among freshmen with three goals last year, are the assistant captains this season.

Six Opponents Played in Postseason    
Six of Colorado College's 13 opponents this season played in the NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament last season. Defending national champion North Dakota along with fellow NCHC foes Denver, St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth joined Boston College and UMass-Lowell among the 16 teams in the tournament.

Tough Schedule Last Season ...     
Colorado College finished the 2015-16 season with the fifth-toughest schedule in the country, according to the Division I RPI. In fact, NCHC schools occupied the top seven spots on the list. Last year, CC played 21 of its 36 games, including 13 of its last 17, against teams ranked in the top 12 in the country.

... And Again This Year
Eight of Colorado College's 13 opponents this season are ranked in the most recent USCHO.com Top 20 poll. In fact, five of them, Minnesota Duluth (No. 1), Denver (No. 2), Boston College (No. 6), UMass-Lowell (No. 7) and North Dakota (No. 8) are all in the top 10. Those five teams represent 13 games on the schedule this season. In addition, Western Michigan is No. 16, St. Cloud State is No. 18 and Omaha is No. 20, adding another 12 games. In all, 25 of CC's 34 games, including all 16 after the Florida Hockey Classic, are scheduled against Top 20 teams.

Leclerc Named NCHC Rookie of the Week
After holding Miami to just four goals in two games the weekend of Dec. 9-10, freshman goalie Alex Leclerc was named the Bauer NCHC Rookie of the Week by the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. Leclerc continued his strong play of late, helping snap Colorado College's seven-game losing streak at Miami. On Friday, the freshman surrendered only a goal in a 1-1 overtime tie with the RedHawks, while making a career-high 35 saves, including a single-period career-high 16 saves in the second stanza. He was named second Star of the Game Friday, helping kill all three Miami power plays. The next night, Leclerc compiled 30 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss, including 17 saves in the third period and overtime. He also made six saves to kill all five RedHawk power plays. Leclerc finished the weekend with a .942 save percentage with 65 saves on 69 shots and a 1.90 goals-against average. Halloran was named Rookie of the Week earlier this season following the weekend at Boston College and New Hampshire.