AFA hockey: 3 Things to Watch vs. Holy Cross
Take advantage of power-play chances
Two disciplined teams square off in the second semifinal of the Atlantic Hockey Association Final Four tournament in Rochester, N.Y., this Friday.
No. 3 seed Holy Cross (17-15-5) averages only 10.7 minutes in the penalty box, second in the league to Air Force's 9.1. The Falcons' top-rated league power play (25 percent, 42-for-168) is a big reason the academy has the AHA's top-scoring offense (3.77). Falcons senior captain Jacques Lamoureux is tied for the national lead with four Division I players, including Colorado College senior Tyler Johnson, with 12 power-play goals. That potent group, sparked by AFA's talented offensive defensemen, takes on Holy Cross' eighth-rated penalty kill (79.5 percent).
Stay out of the penalty box
If No. 2 seed Air Force (18-11-6) can stay out of the box, it can keep its 11th-rated penalty kill (75.2 percent) off the ice against the AHA's No. 2 power play from Holy Cross (24.5 percent). Holy Cross has more balance in its power-play production with Everett Sheen recording seven goals with the man advantage.
Keep up the balance on offense
The team's better depth has resulted in more diverse offensive production thanks to freshmen like Jason Fabian (21 points, 11 assists) and Tony Thomas (17, 10 assists). That and the contributions of other rookies have been key to spreading out the production and giving Air Force a rare advantage; four lines with scoring punch.
"Fabian and Thomas have been big for us from the start," Lamoureux said. "But (George) Michalke, (Casey) Kleisinger and (Adam) McKenzie have all stepped it up in recent weeks. They're why we can win a 7-5 game like we did (last) Friday."
