Air Force senior quietly gets it done on defense
Little known hockey stat shows how good Sellers has been over four years
Air Force underclassmen looking for advice and an example to follow need only look to senior defenseman Brad Sellers.
Just ask freshman Adam McKenzie, his defensive partner.
“Absolutely, he’s been a great mentor to me right from the beginning,” McKenzie said. ‘I got really lucky.”
That steadiness on the ice is reflected in his personality and in how he treats the underclassmen.
“Brad has a very good way about him,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “When he (hands out advice), he does it in a way that isn’t condescending.”
“I offer advice when they ask me,” Seller said. “I do my part on the ice and try to be a mentor for the freshmen and sophomores.”
“I know I can always turn to him to explain what I need to do or what mistake I made,” McKenzie said.
His advice is usually spot on, but his quiet example after 135 career games for the Falcons is even better. Sellers leads the team with a plus-minus rating of plus-10 headed into this weekend's road series at Mercyhurst and an eye-popping plus-39 for his career. A plus-minus rating basically means the Falcons have scored 39 more goals than allowed while he was on the ice.
“That’s the one stat I take the most pride in,” Sellers said. “It shows (how you play) on both ends of the ice even if most fans don't even know what it means.”
Serratore admires how Sellers goes about his job.
“You know what you’ll get from him both as a player and a person every day,” Serratore said. “He plays a quiet, solid, clean, consistent game. He never does anything dirty. He does everything the right way. I don’t know anybody who can’t like Brad Sellers.”
Being such a solid defensive defenseman allows McKenzie, an offensive blue-liner, to attack in the other end, knowing Sellers has his back.
“I’m a pretty offensive player so having him take care of business back there (in the Air Force zone) has freed me up to play my game,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie has benefited. He is third among defensemen with 15 points (11 assists).
“(McKenzie) has a lot of offensive talent,” Sellers said. “It’s why the coaches paired us together.”
McKenzie and Air Force fans are sure glad they did.
LEADERS
Air Force (12-11-6, 10-7-6 Atlantic Hockey Association, fifth)
Offense: Sr. F Jacques Lamoureux (32 points, 17 assists); Sr. F Derrick Burnett (27, 20 assists); So. F Kyle De Laurell (22, 14 assists); So. F John Kruse (21 points, 13 assists); Jr. F Paul Weisgarber (19, 11 goals): Fr. F Jason Fabian (injured hand, questionable this weekend, 15, eight assists); Fr. F Tony Thomas (14, nine assists).
Defense: Jr. D Scott Mathis (23, 16 assists); Jr. D Tim Kirby (18, 12 assists); Fr. G Jason Torf (9-8-3, 3.02 goals against, .905 saves percentage); Jr. G Stephen Caple (3-2-3, 2.80 gaa, .888 saves).
Mercyhurst (13-13-4, 11-10-2 AHA, sixth)
Offense: Sr. F Scott Pitt (31 points, 17 assists); So. F Paul Chiasson (27, 14 goals); Fr. F Taylor Holmstrom (25, 17 assists); Sr. F Ryan Raven (21, 13 assists); Sr. F Steve Cameron (21, 14 assists); Sr. F Mike Gurtler (21, 15 assists); Jr. F Phil Ginand (20, 12 goals).
Defense: Sr. D Jeff Terminesi (18, 14 assists); Fr. D Nate Jensen (13, 13 assists); Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (11-10-3, 2.70 goals against, .924 saves percentage).
