Air Force primed for another shot against CC, Denver

The big dogs come barking, and Air Force holds its ground, ready to fight, never backing down from a challenge. Most times, the Falcons head home as losers. Almost every time, they prompt a nip-and-tuck battle, with the outcome not decided until the final buzzer.

“Air Force isn’t afraid to play anybody,” Colorado College coach Scott Owens said.

Eventually, a ton of experience from so many narrow losses against college hockey’s top programs should begin paying dividends for Air Force, which again attempts to turn the corner when traveling to No. 5 CC on Friday and hosting No. 15 Denver on Saturday.

Not since 1985 – at the now-demolished Broadmoor World Arena – has Air Force (9-4-2) defeated CC on the road, and the Falcons have lost 27 of the past 28 games to the Tigers. They’ve beaten Denver once since 1980, a 5-2 win at the academy in 2008, and they’ve fallen in 22 of the past 23 games against the Pioneers. Simply put, it hasn’t been pretty.

However, in recent years, Air Force has significantly closed the gap on CC, with four of the past five games between the teams decided by two goals or less – the only exception a 4-1 win by the Falcons in 2009. It also has narrowed the distance on Denver, with two or fewer goals the margin of victory in four of the past six games between the teams.

Call it the result of hardnosed seasoning from a tough nonconference schedule. This year, Air Force lost to North Dakota 4-3 on its home ice, then lost to No. 14 Michigan State 3-2 in overtime. In 2007, the Falcons lost to eventual national champion Boston College 8-2, then tied Minnesota 2-2 on its home ice. They lost to Notre Dame 2-0 in 2006.

Perhaps more impressive: Air Force is 10-1 in Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament elimination games, winning the title over the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2011; over Mercyhurst in 2008 and 2009; and over Army in 2007. In the NCAA Tournament, it lost to Yale 2-1 in overtime last season; it beat Michigan 2-0, then lost to Vermont 3-2 in double overtime in 2009; it lost to Miami (Ohio) 3-2 in overtime in 2008; and it lost to Minnesota 4-3 in 2007. Not bad for a squad allegedly a notch below the national powers.

“We’ve won enough big games,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said, “we’re not afraid of losing. … Our guys are pumped. They’re jazzed to play. They want to go take their swings. They’re not worried about losing to CC or Denver. They want to go beat them. And that’s with me, too. Let’s go punch them in the mouth. Let’s see what happens.”

If there’s any year that Air Force could upset CC, it’s probably this year, since the Tigers (11-5) are vulnerable on defense, way too forgiving on the penalty kill and inconsistent in goaltending. Plus, CC is missing its second-leading point producer, Jaden Schwartz, and Denver (8-7-3) is minus its top point producer, Jason Zucker, because of the world junior championships in Canada. Versatile forward Beau Bennett (wrist) also is out for Denver.

The Falcons bring a team that “skates real well this year,” said left wing Kyle De Laurell, who leads Air Force with 22 points. “We’ve got a lot of fast players, a lot of guys who can really skate. And I feel like we can keep up with them on any sheet of ice,” even the bigger Olympic-size sheet at World Arena. He noted, “I don’t think there’s intimidation.”

Is Air Force still an underdog? “I don’t think of us as underdogs,” said defenseman Tim Kirby, who has 12 points. “We are bet against, I’m sure. But we are built like a (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) team. … We’re used to winning, and we need to start winning these games in order to take that next step to being an upper-echelon program.”

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