{"id":30164,"date":"2008-12-11T09:15:54","date_gmt":"2008-12-11T15:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2008\/12\/11\/atlantic-hockey-special-dec-11-2008\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:57:20","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:57:20","slug":"atlantic-hockey-special-dec-11-2008","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2008\/12\/11\/atlantic-hockey-special-dec-11-2008\/","title":{"rendered":"Atlantic Hockey Special: Dec. 11, 2008"},"content":{"rendered":"
With a light schedule on the horizon and the RIT-Air Force series the dominant story of last week, this column is a slight departure from the norm. <\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 5:00 a.m. ET
\nRochester, N.Y.<\/b><\/p>\n
Ouch. I’m not a morning person, but duty calls. I have a 7:00 a.m. flight to Colorado Springs to broadcast the RIT at Air Force series for WITR FM and the B2 network. Besides covering Atlantic Hockey for USCHO.com, I’ve been doing color and occasional play-by-play for RIT Hockey since 1996. The Tigers are coming off an ugly loss at Mass-Lowell and face a daunting task against the tenth-ranked Falcons. Air Force has outscored opponents 44-8 so far this season at home and the last time the Falcons lost at Cadet Arena was last season on January 12 — to RIT.<\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 7:00 a.m. ET
\nRochester, N.Y. <\/b><\/p>\n
My broadcast partner and fellow USCHOer Ed Trefzger and I have just been informed that our flight from Rochester to Chicago is going to be delayed due to mechanical problems. This is my fault. I am the Typhoid Mary of airline travel. Recent trips with Ed have resulted in lost luggage, cancelled flights, and hours upon hours spent in airports. Ed and I spent two wonderful New Year’s Eves (Eastern and Central time zones) at O’Hare trying to get back from the Dodge Classic in Minneapolis last season. Ed only has these kinds of problems when he travels with me.<\/p>\n
Miraculously, all it takes is a minor repair and we are on our way, making a smooth connection through Chicago to Colorado Springs. Our luggage even shows up. Carrying the luggage on board was not an option since we are bringing radio gear with us, and have to take that on the plane for its safety. Security checks are always fun when you are toting unusual looking equipment with a lot of cords and wires. We get flagged for “special attention” every time.<\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 2:00 p.m. MT
\nColorado Springs, Colo.<\/b><\/p>\n
Before going to the hotel, Ed and I stopped for lunch at the Phantom Canyon Brewery. As Ed said, “If it was in Rochester, it would be my favorite restaurant.” It’s Ed’s seventh trip to the Springs with RIT, and the third for me. We always hit this place and make it our first stop, but not our last, for the weekend. <\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 5:30 p.m. MT
\nColorado Springs, Colo.<\/b><\/p>\n
We’re at the sprawling Air Force Academy, the most beautiful college campus I have ever seen, nestled in the Rocky Mountains in the shadow of Pike’s Peak. We get to the arena and through security (there goes the radio equipment again) and up to the press box. We’re greeted by Air Force SID Dave Toller, one of the best in the business. Dave doubles as the color guy for the Air Force radio broadcasts. <\/p>\n
We get set up and ready for the pregame. The main piece of equipment we use is the Vector, a mixer that allows us to communicate with the WITR studios via a phone line. Student engineer Luke Auburn is on the other end. He’s pulling a late shift tonight with the 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time start.<\/p>\n
I’m able to talk briefly with RIT associate head coach Brian Hills before the game. The team came out on Thursday morning, as they usually do for away games. You don’t want any bus (or plane) legs on Friday. The routine for players on the road can be tedious — a long bus\/plane ride, downtime in the hotel for chilling and doing homework, team meals, meetings, and workouts. It’s the games that matter, of course — the rest just comes with the territory.<\/p>\n
Hills tells me that Jared DeMichiel will get the start for the Tigers in goal. DeMichiel saw limited action last season, backing up Louis Menard, but this season he’s platooned with Menard and recently has seen the lion’s share of the action.<\/p>\n
Air Force will of course go with Andrew Volkening in net, as it has for every minute this season. Volkening has been outstanding, with a goals against of around 1.40 and a save percentage near .950. <\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 7:45 p.m. MT
\nColorado Springs, Colo.<\/b><\/p>\n
A wild first period comes to an end with the Tigers outshooting the Falcons 8-1. It’s the lowest shot total allowed by RIT in a period since its move to Division I. <\/p>\n
The officiating, to put it kindly, is lousy. The guys in stripes are having an off night, and things will get worse as the game progresses. Just my opinion, but I’m not alone.<\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 8:20 p.m. MT
\nColorado Springs, Colo.<\/b><\/p>\n
Mike Phillipich redirects a shot from Greg Flynn past DeMichiel and the Falcons score on the power play to make it 1-0. Approximately 500 stuffed animals come flying out of the stands — it’s a charity thing. <\/p>\n
Friday, December 5, 9:15 p.m. MT
\nColorado Springs, Colo.<\/b><\/p>\n
I’m standing rinkside with a wireless remote waiting to interview RIT coach Wayne Wilson for the postgame show. Air Force has defeated RIT 2-0. With me is Theresa Spisak, USCHO’s WCHA correspondent. She’s recapping the game for USCHO, and is an unabashed Falcons fan. She’s allowed, since Air Force isn’t in her conference so she doesn’t have to stay neutral. And I can see the attraction. The Falcons are the feel-good story of the season, and last weekend made plenty of believers by beating Colorado College and losing at Denver in a hard-fought battle.<\/p>\n
Wilson is pretty upbeat. He doesn’t want to talk about the officiating, but rather how he thinks his team played very well. The Tigers outshot the Falcons 30-24 but couldn’t get one past Volkening.<\/p>\n