This Weekend
Colorado College and Air Force battle for the Pikes Peak Trophy this weekend. The teams will play at the Broadmoor World Arena on Friday, Feb. 14, beginning at 7:37 p.m., then in the Faceoff at Falcon Stadium on Monday, Feb. 17, at 5:05 p.m.. Both games will be broadcast in Colorado Springs on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM and 1240 AM. Friday's contest will be streamed live on NCHC.tv.
Last Time Out
The Tigers and St. Cloud State played a pair of overtime games last weekend at the Broadmoor World Arena ... On Friday, Jack Ahcan scored 31 seconds into overtime to give St. Cloud State a 3-2 victory. Ahcan put the game-winner past CC goalie
Matt Vernon after Jack Poehling sent the puck towards the net and it deflected off Tiger defenseman
Connor Mayer across the crease. Ahcan was there right in front of the net for his sixth goal of the season. After a scoreless first period, each team put two in the net during the second.
Bryan Yoon opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at the 2:12 mark of the middle frame.
Troy Conzo cleanly won a faceoff in the SCSU zone and the puck went back to Yoon, who sent a wrister from the high slot past David Hrenak. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead at the 8:47 mark and Conzo collected his second assist of the night when he found
Chris Wilkie open behind the Husky defense for a clean breakaway. Wilkie scored his NCHC-high 18th of the season. The Huskies cut the lead in half less than a minute later when Ahcan sent a pass from the left circle to the far side of the net and Chase Brand was there to tip it past Vernon. Jack Poehling evened things up at the 12:18 mark of the second, finishing off a 2-on-1 with his brother, Nick. Neither team scored in the third period despite each having a couple of power plays. The Tigers had a man advantage opportunity with 2:07 left after a cross-checking call to Clark Kuster, but Hrenak saved all six shots on the power play to send the game to overtime ... On Saturday,
Ben Copeland and
Josiah Slavin scored and Vernon had 32 saves as the teams skated to a 2-2 draw. After a pair of scoreless overtime periods,
Grant Cruikshank led off the shootout by beating Hrenak, then Vernon stopped Walker to secure the extra point in the NCHC standings for CC. The Tigers snapped a seven-game losing streak and secured the season series against the two-time defending Penrose Cup champions with a 2-1-1 record. Copeland opened the scoring with 1:50 remaining in the first period. Cruikshank poked the puck to Copeland, who split a pair of defenders and placed a backhander past Hrenak. Copeland, who drew a hooking penalty on the play, notched his fourth goal of the season and first since Nov. 2. Slavin made it 2-0 at the 5:18 mark of the second period with his first career shorthanded goal. While killing off a tripping penalty, Vernon made a point-blank save on Walker and the puck slung around the boards to Mayer, who found Slavin behind everyone and he beat Hrenak glove side for his fifth tally of the season. Walker cut the Tiger lead in half with 5:41 left in the middle frame. Easton Brodzinski collected the puck in the neutral zone and found Walker, who beat Vernon with a wrister from the right circle. After a tripping call against Yoon with 4:41 remaining in regulation, Brodzinski evened the score with a power-play goal less than a minute into the man advantage.
Pikes Peak Trophy at Stake
In 2013, Colorado College and Air Force established the Pikes Peak Trophy in memory of the former head coach of both schools, John Matchefts. Matchefts compiled a record of 54-88-3 in five seasons (1966-71) at the Colorado College helm before posting a ledger of 154-150-6 in 11 years (1974-85) with Air Force. The Tigers have possession of the trophy thanks to a 6-1 victory last season.
Faceoff at Falcon Stadium
The Colorado College and Air Force hockey teams will meet in the Faceoff at Falcon Stadium on Monday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m. This will be the second outdoor game ever for the CC hockey program and the first in Colorado Springs. Tickets for the Faceoff at Falcon Stadium are available for $25 and can be purchased by contacting the Air Force ticket office at (719) 472-1895. CC fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in the designated CC sections – L23, M23, L24 and M24.
Tiger Tales
Colorado College won the season series with SCSU (2-1-1) for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign ...
Troy Conzo dished out a career-high two assists and tied his career high with two points on Friday ... Saturday's game was the fourth overtime contest for the Tigers this season, they are now 1-1-2.
The Coaches
Mike Haviland (Elmira College, '90) is in his sixth 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 … Frank Serratore (Bemidji State, '82) is in his 23rd season with the Falcons. He previously coached at Denver and has head coaching experience in the USHL and the IHL.
For the Record
Colorado College is 8-16-2 overall and 3-13-2 in the NCHC, good for a seventh-place tie in the league with 12 points ... Air Force is 8-15-5 overall and 8-11-5 in Atlantic Hockey, good for seventh place.
Previous Meetings
Colorado College and Air Force have met 76 times, with the Tigers holding an 61-13-2 advantage in the series. The Tigers defeated Air Force, 6-1, in the only meeting last year, to claim the Pikes Peak Trophy.
Scouting the Falcons
Brady Tomlak leads Air Force with 19 points (7g,12a), followed by Zack Mirageas with 18 (2g,16a) and Brandon Koch with 14 (4g,10a). Alex Schilling has started 23 of AFA's 28 games in the net this season. He is 8-8-5 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .900 saves percentage. Â
Another Tough Schedule
The Tigers are scheduled to play 10 of their 34 regular-season games this season against teams that are ranked in this week's USCHO.com Top 20 Poll. Colorado College also will play eight games against teams that received votes and 10 contests against the last four national champions (North Dakota, Denver and Minnesota Duluth). Â
Wilkie Up There in National Stats
Chris Wilkie leads the nation with 132 shots and shots per game (5.06). Wilkie, who leads the Tigers in scoring with 26 points (18g,8a), is tied for third in the country with 18 goals.
Top Baker's Dozen in Fewest Penalties
The Tigers are 13th in the country for fewest penalties taken this season with 106 in 26 games. Â
Wilkie and Halloran Nominated for Hobey Baker Award
Chris Wilkie and
Nick Halloran are among 79 student-athletes nominated for the 2020 Hobey Baker Award. The Hobey Baker Award is presented annually to the collegiate hockey player who best demonstrates strength of character both on and off the ice, contributes to the integrity of his team and displays outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Colorado College has had two winners since the first Hobey Baker was awarded in 1981, Peter Sejna (2003) and Marty Sertich (2005).
Halloran Moves Into Top 100
Nick Halloran moved into the top 100 on CC's career scoring list with an assist on Feb. 18 at Western Michigan. With his assist at North Dakota on Feb. 1, he has 90 career points (36g,54a), good for a tie for 92nd place with Bill Baldrica (1969-72) and Larry Soltvedt (1975-79). Â
Very Defensive in Eight Wins
In the eight victories this season, the Tigers have allowed just 15 goals, and given up 80 in the other 18 games.
Robson Arena Unanimously Approved by City Council
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the Colorado Springs City Council unanimously approved the Ed Robson Arena project. Colorado College, in partnership with Colorado Springs' City for Champions initiative, unveiled a proposal to build Robson Arena as an on-campus competition arena. The arena, with an estimated capacity of 3,400+ seats, will become the permanent home of CC Tiger Hockey and for the first time since the program began in 1938, the hockey team will play games on campus. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, and the arena is expected to open in the fall of 2021.
On the Air
All CC games in 2019-20, home and away, will be broadcast live throughout Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM and 1240 AM, featuring Ken Landau with the play-by-play. Both of this weekend's pre-game shows start 30 minutes before faceoff. The broadcasts also can be heard worldwide via the Internet ... Selected games will also be available on KSBV 93.7 FM in Cripple Creek, Divide, Buena Vista, Monarch and Leadville.
