Feb. 25, 2004

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

2003-04 - Games 31 & 32

WSU MEN'S HOCKEY (6-21-3, 2-13-1 CHA)
at Alabama-Huntsville (10-12-4, 9-6-1 CHA)
Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 28-29 - Huntsville, Ala.

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Arena -- Von Braun Center (6,800)
Surface -- 200' x 85'
Face-off -- 4:05 p.m./5:05 p.m. Eastern
Site -- Huntsville, Ala.
Series Record -- Alabama-Huntsville leads 12-7-1

THE GAMES

The Wayne State University men's hockey team will play a two-game College Hockey America (CHA) series at Alabama-Huntsville this Saturday and Sunday to conclude the road portion of its 2003-04 regular-season schedule.

The Chargers and the Warriors have met 20 times including twice in the CHA Championship game (2001 and 2002). UAH won seven of the first eight meetings before Wayne State went unbeaten in seven straight (6-0-1) contests.

Alabama-Huntsville has won the last five meetings but the Warriors are 3-6-0 in Huntsville.

Last weekend, the Warriors ended a nine-game losing streak with a 1-1 (OT) tie at home on Sunday against Findlay after dropping a 5-0 decision the night before in Ohio.

WSU wraps-up the regular season at home versus the U.S. Air Force Academy on March 5-6. The Warriors are 1-9-1 at home this season.

The CHA quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 12 at the Tri-City Arena in Kearney, Neb., followed by the CHA semifinals on March 13 and the CHA Championship game on March 14.

THE COACHES

WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson is in his fifth season as the Warrior bench boss. He has a 78-79-14 record at WSU with an overall collegiate head coaching mark of 391-380-67 in his 22nd season.

Doug Ross has compiled a 403-222-34 record in his 21st year at UAH. His 24-year overall coaching mark stands at 459-257-36.

THE SERIES

Wayne State trails 12-7-1 in the all-time series. The Chargers swept WSU in Plymouth, 5-2 and 7-3, on Jan. 17-18. The Warriors, after going unbeaten in seven (6-0-1) straight against UAH, have lost five consecutive meetings.

IN THE POLLS

The Warriors were selected fourth in the College Hockey America (CHA) preseason coaches poll after finishing tied-for-third in 2002-03. Alabama-Huntsville was picked third in the conference by the CHA coaches.

SCOUTING ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE

The Chargers are 1-4-3 in their last eight games.

Junior center Jared Ross (17-28--45) leads the team in goals, assists, points and power-play goals (9). Senior Adam MacLean (6-4-3, 2.55, .918) and sophomore Scott Munroe (4-8-1, 3.19, .905) have each started 13 games.

UAH's power play has scored 27 times in 132 opportunities (20.5%), while the penalty-killing units have stopped 129 of 149 (86.6%) opponent chances.

FINDLAY RECAP

Wayne State rebounded after a 5-0 setback at Findlay on Saturday for a 1-1 (OT) tie on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, the Warriors started slowly offensively not having a shot on goal in the opening period. The Oilers scored an even-strength goal off the stick of Andrew Radzak 4:55 into the contest. UF went ahead 2-0 at the 18:26 mark when Radzak netted a power-play goal, and completed the first period scoring with just 35 seconds left in the stanza on an even-strength goal by Rigel Shaw.

UF scored once in the second period on an even-strength goal by Kyle Ukrainyc at the 9:00 mark. After being outshot 6-0 in the first period, WSU had 11 shots on goal in the middle stanza compared to 12 for Findlay.

The Oilers had a 13-3 advantage in shots on goal in the third period and scored the lone goal on a power play at the 13:01 mark as Radzak completed the hat trick.

WSU senior goalie Marc Carlson was credited with 26 saves, while Will Hooper turned aside 14 Warrior shots. Wayne State went zero-for-four on the power play with Findlay scoring twice in eight man-advantage opportunities.

In the Sunday affair, the Warriors came out on fire recording 12 shots on goal in the opening period after recording 14 shots on goal in the entire Saturday contest. Neither team was able to score in the first 20 minutes.

In the middle stanza, WSU held a 12-9 advantage in shots on goal but the goalies again kept both teams off the scoreboard.

Wayne State took a 1-0 lead 6:48 into the third period when Ryan Wright banged in a rebound of a Chris Vail shot on goal. Taylor Donohoe earned the second assist on Wright's fifth goal of the season.

Findlay tied the game with 2:39 left in regulation when Kurt Wright netted his third of the campaign off assists from Paul Prefontaine and Andrew Radzak.

The Oilers had a 15-8 advantage in shots on goal in the third period.

In overtime, both teams had three shots on goal.

WSU sophomore goalie Matt Kelly made 31 saves including 14 in the third period. Findlay netminder Will Hooper turned aside 34 Wayne State shots including 12 in each of the first two periods. The Warriors were zero-for-four on the power play, while the Oilers went zero-for-three.