Feb. 25, 2003

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

2002-03 - GAMES 33 & 34

WAYNE STATE MEN'S HOCKEY (14-16-2, 7-7-2 CHA)
vs. Air Force (10-19-3, 2-11-3 CHA)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1 * Fraser, Mich.

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Arena -- Great Lakes Sports City Arena (2,400)
Surface -- 200' x 85'
Face-off -- 7:05 p.m.
Site -- Fraser, Michigan
Series Record -- Wayne State leads 6-3-2

THE GAMES

The Wayne State University men's hockey team returns home looking to end a four-game losing streak. Last weekend, the Warriors were swept at second place Niagara (3-2 OT, 5-3) to fall six points behind the Purple Eagles in the battle for a CHA first round tournament bye.

Bemidji State split at home with Alabama-Huntsville and moved one point ahead of WSU into third in the College Hockey America standings.

Wayne State will conclude the regular-season with a home-and-home series against Findlay. The March 7th contest is at Fraser, while the series finale is at Findlay on March 8th. The Friday game will also be "Senior Night" for 12 Warriors.

INTERVIEW POLICIES

Media representatives should contact the Sports Information Office for all player and coach interviews. Players and coaches may be interviewed prior to or directly after practice during the season, but requests must be made through the Sports Information Office ahead of time.

THE COACHES

WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson, a 1970 graduate of St. Lawrence, has a 65-57-11 mark in his fourth season as the Warriors bench boss. His overall varsity collegiate record stands at 378-358-64 in his 21st season. His 378 victories rank him 29th on the NCAA all-time win list.

Frank Serratore is in his sixth season at the helm of the Air Force Falcons. A 1982 graduate of Bemidji State, Serratore has compiled a 91-108-13 record at the USAF Academy. His overall collegiate record of 140-199-22 includes four seasons (1990-94) at Denver.

THE SERIES

Wayne State leads 6-3-2 in the all-time series. WSU is 5-1-1 in the last seven games versus the Falcons with the lone loss coming on January 12, 2002, in Fraser by a 5-3 score. The Warriors are 2-2-0 at home all-time against Air Force.

IN THE POLLS

Wayne State received all five possible first-place votes in the College Hockey America Coaches Preseason poll. Air Force was tied-for-fifth with Findlay in the CHA Coaches Preseason poll with seven points.

SCOUTING AIR FORCE

The Falcons make their second consecutive trip to the Midwest. Last weekend, USAFA tied (1-1 OT) and lost (3-1) at Findlay.

Senior forward Andy Berg leads the squad in goals (20), points (37) and power-play goals (14). Senior forward Scott Zwiers and senior defenseman Brian Reaney are tied for the team lead with 19 assists. Sophomore forward Ryan Wiggins has a team-best four game-winning goals.

Junior Mike Polidor (9-18-3, 3.90, .882) has started 30 of the Falcons' 32 games.

Air Force's power play has converted 35 times in 182 opportunities (19.2%), while stopping 127 of its opponents 167 chances (76.0%).

NIAGARA SERIES NOTES

Wayne State University lost its first game to Niagara on Feb. 21, 3-2 OT, snapping an 11-game unbeaten streak (10-0-1) against the Purple Eagles.

NU grabbed a 1-0 lead 4:29 into the contest on Bernie Sigrist's 10th goal of the season off an assist from Chris Welch. The Warriors battled back to tie the game on a Derek MacKay power-play goal with five minutes remaining in the opening stanza. MacKay's ninth of the campaign was assisted by Tyler Kindle and Dustin Kingston. MacKay now has goals in back-to-back games for the third time this season, while Kindle has an assist in eight of the last 11 contests. WSU held a 15-5 advantage in shots on goal in the first period.

The hosts again took a one-goal lead as Brian Hartman netted his third of the year during a four-on-three Niagara power play. The Purple Eagles second goal of the game came with 4:11 left in the second period.

Wayne State again rallied to tie the game. This time junior Chris Vail scored a man-advantage marker with 2:37 remaining in the middle frame off an assist from Nathan Rosychuk and Marc St. Jean. Vail's fifth of the season and third in the last eight games gave the Warriors two power-play goals in a game for the 10th time this season. Rosychuk ended a season-long four-game pointless streak, while St. Jean now has six points in the last six games.

The third period was scoreless despite Niagara holding an 11-7 advantage in shots on goal. In the overtime, Niagara's leading goal-scorer Joe Tallari scored off a face-off 2:02 into the extra session.

WSU goalie David Guerrera made 29 saves including 14 in the second period. Niagara netminder Rob Bonk was credited with 31 saves. Wayne State scored two power-play goals in three chances, while holding the Purple Eagles to one man-advantage marker in three opportunities.

The Warriors lost their fourth consecutive league game with a 5-3 setback Feb. 22 at Niagara University.

The Warriors led 1-0 after 20 minutes on a power-play goal by Jack Redwood with 2:22 left in the period. Redwood's 12th of the year was assisted by Dustin Kingston and Derek MacKay. WSU extended its lead to 2-0 3:23 into the middle stanza on MacKay's power-play goal. His 10th of the year was assisted by Redwood and Kingston.

Nathan Rosychuk scored his ninth of the season at the 5:57 mark off an assist from Maxim Starchenko.

The Purple Eagles scored three times in a span of 6:13 (Andrew Nahirniak at 8:27 on the power play; Joe Tallari at 13:25; and Barret Ehgoetz at 14:50 on the power play) to tie the game at three heading into the final period.

NU's leading goal-scorer, Joe Tallari, tallied the game-winner at the 10:11 mark, while Chris Welch scored into an empty net with four seconds remaining.

Wayne State goaltender David Guerrera stopped 32 of 36 shots, while Niagara netminder Jeff VanNynatten turned aside 22 of WSU's 25 shots.

The Warriors finished the game with a season-high three power-play goals in seven chances, with the Purple Eagles scoring two man-advantage markers in six opportunities.