March 9, 2004

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2003-04 - Game 35

WSU MEN'S HOCKEY (8-23-3, 4-15-1 CHA)
vs. Alabama-Huntsville (11-15-4, 10-9-1 CHA)
Friday, March 12 - Kearney, Neb.

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Arena -- Tri-City Arena (4,200)
Surface -- 200' x 85'
Face-off -- 8:05 p.m. Eastern
Site -- Kearney, Neb.
Series Record -- Alabama-Huntsville leads 12-9-1

THE GAMES

The Wayne State University men's hockey squad begins defense of its College Hockey America tournament title this Friday, March 12, in the second quarterfinal game versus the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers. Findlay, the No. 4 seed, skates against Air Force, the No. 5 seed, at 4:05 p.m. Eastern.

Last weekend, Wayne State lost twice at Compuware Sports Arena, 6-4 and 3-1, to the Air Force Academy.

Friday's quarterfinal winners advance to Saturday's CHA semifinals. The No. 1 seeded-Bemidji State Beavers will play the Findlay/Air Force winner, at 4:05 p.m. Eastern, while the Niagara University Purple Eagles will face-off against the Wayne State/Alabama-Huntsville victor at 8:05 p.m. Eastern.

Sunday's championship game which will be aired on CSTV starts at 8:05 p.m. Eastern. All five CHA tournament games can be heard live on the internet at www.kkpr.com.

THE COACHES

WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson is in his fifth season as the Warrior bench boss. He has an 80-81-14 record at WSU with an overall collegiate head coaching mark of 393-382-67 in his 22nd season.

Doug Ross has compiled a 404-225-34 record in his 21st year with the Chargers. His 24-year overall coaching mark stands at 460-260-36.

THE SERIES

Wayne State trails 12-9-1 in the all-time series despite winning twice in Huntsville (4-2, 4-1) on Feb. 28-29. The squads have met twice before in the CHA tournament with the Warriors claiming 4-1 victory in Huntsville on March 10, 2001, and a 5-4 overtime win in Niagara on March 16, 2002.

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 ended a five-game (0-4-1) winless streak with a 3-1 win at Findlay on Saturday.

Junior forwards Jared Ross (17-30--47) and Craig Bushey (15-15--30) are the top goal scorers on the squad. Ross leads UAH in power-play goals (9) and is tied for the team lead in game-winners (2). Sophomore forward Bruce Mulherin (8-15--23) is tied with Bushey for second on the team in assists. Senior Adam MacLean (6-6-3, 2.61, .914) and sophomore Scott Munroe (5-9-1, 3.10, .905) have each started 15 games.

UAH's power play has scored 29 times in 158 opportunities (18.4%), while the penalty-killing units have stopped 147 of 169 (87.0%) opponent chances.

AIR FORCE RECAP

Wayne State lost its final home games of the season, 6-4 and 3-1, to visiting Air Force this past Friday and Saturday at the Compuware Sports Arena.

Both teams came out firing in the opening stanza of the Friday contest combining for 31 shots on goal (WSU - 19, AF - 12) and five lamp-lighters (Air Force led 3-2).

Just 31 seconds into their first power play of the game, the Falcons' Brandon Merkosky redirected a point shot by Billy Devoney at the 2:44 mark. The Warriors tied the contest on their first man-advantage opportunity of the evening as Jason Baclig scored on a rebound of a John May shot for his 11th goal of the season. Steve Kovalchik started the scoring play by keeping the puck in at the left point, and feeding Baclig who sent a pass to May in the high slot.

WSU would take its only lead of the game at the 11:38 mark of the first period as Baclig scored on his own rebound following a semi-breakaway that was set up by a nice pass from Nick Stodgell. Air Force pulled even with 5:56 to go in the opening stanza as Seth Pelletier scored on a rebound from just outside the crease. Shane Saum gave the guests a 3-2 advantage with his goal at the 17:40 mark on another rebound.

Baclig completed his first collegiate hat trick and the ninth in the program's five-year history (fourth fastest at 25:51) with a backhand shot from beside the net. Billy Collins and Travis Rycroft assisted on Baclig's 13th of the campaign.

Air Force scored twice in the final two minutes of the period for a 5-3 lead. Mike Knaeble scored an even-strength goal at 18:05 and Saum added a power-play goal on redirection of a blueline shot at 19:09.

May pulled the Warriors within one at 5-4 at the 11:38 mark of the third period on a rebound of a Mark Cannon shot. Mark Nebus had carried the puck into the offensive zone and fed Cannon. AF's Ryan Wiggins completed the scoring with an empty-net goal at the 19:29 mark.

WSU sophomore goalie Matt Kelly played the first two periods and made 17 saves on 22 shots. Warrior senior netminder Marc Carlson stopped all eight shots he faced in the third period. Mike Polidor turned aside 33 Wayne State shots from the Falcon cage. WSU went one-for-three on the power play, while Air Force scored twice in six opportunities.

Wayne State closed out its regular season on Saturday afternoon. During pre-game ceremonies, the six seniors (Marc Carlson, Aaron Hundt, Matt Milanowski, Travis Rycroft, Nick Stodgell and Chris Vail) were honored for their service to the program.

In an even first period that saw each team record nine shots on goal, the Falcons scored the lone goal as Tom Starkey scored at the 6:46 mark. Air Force tallied the lone marker of the middle stanza at the 9:36 mark when Andrew Ramsey came in on his off wing and went high to the short side beating Warrior goalie Marc Carlson.

The Falcons went ahead 3-0 just 82 seconds into the third period. Following a WSU turnover behind its own net, Seth Pelletier sent a pass out to Ross Miller, whose shot beat Carlson. The Warriors wouldn't quit and were rewarded when Travis Rycroft banged in the rebound of a Billy Collins shot. Dan Iliakis started the scoring play by passing down low to Collins.

Carlson finished with 28 saves, while AF netminder Peter Foster made 26 saves. WSU went zero-for-seven on the power play and blanked Air Force on its eight man-advantage opportunities.