Game Gab - Nightly Post-Game Analysis
Come here after the games for analysis and insights from CHN Staff members.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
Canisius 4, Air Force 3 - Friday, March 15, 2013
Canisius got a power-play goal from Kyle Gibbons with 9 seconds left in regulation to get a huge Game 1 over 2nd-seeded Air Force. That came after Air Force, down 3-2, had pulled the goalie while shorthanded, and evened the game just a minute earlier. With the power play still in effect, and Jason Torf back in net, Canisius got the winner. “Two big power-play goals in the third period were the difference tonight,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “Our team showed great maturity and resolve to keep striking and getting the one-goal advantage each time, limiting Air Force’s momentum.”
“Canisius played a great defensive game,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “Their goalie (Tony Capobianco) is really good. The fact is that we got out-special-teamed badly. They made plays on their power plays and we didn’t. We can’t dwell on this one. We have to put it in the rear-view mirror and move on. It ain’t over yet.”
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Air Force 6, Niagara 1 - Saturday, March 2, 2013
If you were looking for reinforcement on why Atlantic Hockey may get two teams in the NCAAs, look no further than here. With Niagara sitting in good shape in the Pairwise, if it doesn't win the Atlantic Hockey tournament, then the AHA will get two teams in for the first time. All along we've been saying that this was certainly very possible, since a team like Air Force is so tournament tested and tough. And lo and behold, here's pretty good evidence of that. It's not the tournament yet, and Niagara had first place locked up, but nevertheless, the Purple Eagles went out to Colorado Springs and got spanked in two games. These teams are probably headed towards facing each other in the Atlantic final, and that would be closer to Niagara's home town, but it should be quite interesting if that comes to fruition.
“We have been a great road team, but haven’t been a great home team,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “This weekend was a pretty dominating performance. Our guys played very good against a very good opponent. I thought we’d play well this weekend and I thought the games would be entertaining, but I didn’t think we put almost 100 shots on them and win two games the way we did.”
It should be noted that Niagara sat out star goaltender Carson Chubak, who should be back in two weeks for the Atlantic quarterfinals. Cody Campbell was thrown in and his first two decisions have been losses. Chubak is 21-5-5, 1.85 GAA and .941 save percentage -- while everyone else on the team is 0-3 with a GAA over 8.00 and a save percentage below .800. Should tell you what he means to the team. Niagara also sat out forward Giancarlo Iuorio, who has been dealing with injuries this season, just to get more rest.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
RIT 2, Air Force 1 - Saturday, February 23, 2013
RIT’s Matt Garbowsky broke a 1-1 tie with six seconds left in the second period. “RIT played a very good defensive style tonight,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “This was a game when you just waited for one team to blink and we blinked with that turnover late in the second. This time of year you have to be able to win a 2-1 win and tonight it was them. We only scored one goal tonight and it was a 5-on-3. We needed to find a way to manufacture a goal tonight and we didn’t get it done.”
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Air Force 2, Mercyhurst 2 - Saturday, February 9, 2013
Air Force missed an opportunity to jump ahead of Mercyhurst into second place in Atlantic Hockey. It gets three points from the Lakers on the weekend and is one point behind. “We played a really strong game and strong series this weekend,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “Mercyhurst is a good hockey team. It was so disappointing when they scored that second goal to tie the game. But, give them credit, they needed to get that goal and they got it. The bottom line is that we came into the building of the hottest team in the league and took three points. This team showed their resilience as we had to come back in both games. I like the direction this team is going.”
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Air Force 4, Robert Morris 1 - Saturday, January 26, 2013
Four different Falcons scored and Jason Torf made 28 saves, as Air Force earned a sweep. “They took it to us in the first period, but thankfully for us Jason Torf was the best player in the rink,” Air Force head coach Frank Serratore said. “Jason got us through the first period and gave us a chance. From that point, the guys took advantage of it. During this 8-2-2 run, we have done the majority of it on the road and that is a good sign. These were good wins, but right now we don’t want to get too high or too low. Right now, we are finding ways to win.”
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Army 3, Air Force 3 - Saturday, January 12, 2013
Army stayed in second place with the tie, in the always-fierce matchup between the two service academies. “It didn’t look good for the Falcons when we were down 3-1, but we showed some resiliency coming back,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “Our even-strength defense needs to get better, but Torf was there to bail us out when we dropped a bomb. We gave them a couple of easy even-strength chances. Our penalty kill was pretty good and when we needed our power-play to score for us, they did in the third.”
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Niagara 4, Air Force 3 - Saturday, January 5, 2013
Niagara remained unbeaten, 10-0-1, in Atlantic Hockey, thanks to a three-goal third period. Niagara doesn't have the gaudy non-league record like Robert Morris, but it's decent, and it's getting the job done in conference. As a result, Niagara is actually No. 16 in the Pairwise right now. “This was a heckuva hockey game,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “These were two darn good hockey teams that played tonight. I like our team right now. I like our spirit, togetherness and our effort. We knew we had to win the third period. Niagara is a team that plays with a lot of confidence and give them credit, they made the plays. What an entertaining hockey game this was. It was fast. It was physical, but clean. Our compete level and our attitude were terrific. I’ll take my chances with our team if we keep playing like that.”
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Air Force 2, Bentley 2 - Saturday, December 8, 2012
Air Force came away with a win and a tie on the weekend. “We played with great energy and spirit all weekend,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “I’ll take three of four points anytime and the road and I’m satisfied with that. We played hard, but were careless with the puck at times late in the game and you just can’t do that.”
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Connecticut 3, Air Force 2 - Saturday, November 24, 2012
UConn has now won 4 of 5 after getting the sweep of Air Force, all since David Berard took over as head coach on an interim basis. Sean Ambrosie scored his fourth of the season, in overtime, to give the Huskies the win. Air Force, meanwhile, has been struggling lately. “The fact is that we are not a very good team right now and we are not very well coached,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “We gave up 39 shots tonight and three even-strength goals. That just can’t happen. I told the team after the game that I let them down. I haven’t prepared the team very well to play 5-on-5. We have to get back to the fundamentals and start playing better in our own end.”
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Penn State 5, Air Force 1 - Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, Air Force dominated the scoreboard, but coach Frank Serratore was not happy with the way his team played. This was a reversal, with Penn State scoring two empty netters to account for the four-goal margin, but Serratore was happier. “We were more dialed in tonight and we had more quality shots,” Serratore said. “We deserved a better fate tonight. Last night, our goalie, Jason Torf, stole the game for us. Tonight, their goalie stole the game. It is unfortunate because we played better as a team and didn’t win. Sometimes that happens in hockey. We gave up three even-strength goals tonight and you just can’t do that. When the score was 3-1, we needed to get the next one and we couldn’t get it. We have to find a way to score some goals.”
On the Penn State side, it continues to impress with the way it can handle solid NCAA programs. It's fun to watch them learn as they go, and not back down after a tough defeat and just accept that they are a first-year program. "I'm pumped right now," Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said. "This is a good step for us. This is a very good program. They've been to the NCAAs 5 of the last 6 years, and we played with them. That's a very good feeling." ... The team played the weekend without standout freshman defenseman Mark Yanis, who broke his ankle last week. "We got to the net. Not in the first period, but we did later ... We had several second opportunities. I don't think we had that at all (Friday) night. ... I didn't think our 'D' played very well (Friday), but I thought tonight they were excellent. ... Our 'D' really responded from last night. I don't think they were proud of themselves -- I think tonight they should be."
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Air Force 4, Robert Morris 1 - Saturday, October 27, 2012
Air Force earned its first win of the season. “We were better tonight,” AFA head coach Frank Serratore said. “We scored the first goal, we out-special teamed them and, their goalie was good, but our was better. We were terrific in the first period. In the third period, they came at us with everything and it was anyone’s ball game. Our sixth attacker defense got it done. Obviously, this was a tighter game than the 4-1 score indicates. We went on the road against two strong teams and got three points in two tough buildings. Any way you want to spin, that is a positive.”
Canisius 4, Air Force 3 - Saturday, March 16, 2013
In as big a win as the program has had, Canisius defenseman Duncan McKellar scored the game-winning goal 1:08 into overtime to get the sweep of Air Force -- the seven seed upending the two seed. And not just that, but an Air Force program that has dominated the conference, particularly in the postseason, for so long. Air Force was a little bit down this year, but, heck, it had just swept Niagara in this very week a couple of weeks ago. Now there will be a new Atlantic Hockey champion. “We showed a lot of grit and a lot of resiliency tonight in a game that Air Force played really well,” said Canisius head coach Dave Smith. “Those characteristics are why we won the game and advanced to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals.”
“I thought we played a terrific game,” Air Force head coach Frank Serratore said. “We spotted them a goal, but came back to lead 3-1. Our penalty kill was very good and we scored a power-play goal. We also had 53 shots. The difference in the game was (Canisius goalie Tony) Capobianco. He was great. This game certainly didn’t go the way it was supposed to go for us. I give Canisius credit, they fought back to tie the game and then they got the bounce in overtime. This is a bitter pill to swallow. But we have been very fortunate in this league and we have done this to a lot of teams. I am very proud of our team. We got off to a rough start this season and these guys battled back to get a first-round bye. We were 14-4-4 in the final 20 regular-season games and credit those guys for hanging tough together.”
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