Spring Break
Air Force Flies In
Jim Merritt
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Sports
Storrs has never looked so good.
After a stretch that saw the Huskies fall in four straight road games, the men's hockey team will look to get back on their feet with back-to-back home games against Air Force tonight and tomorrow. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Freitas Ice Forum.
During a 15-day, five-game span, the Huskies (4-10-0, 4-6-0 Atlantic Hockey) lost four games - the only win coming Nov. 25 over Sacred Heart, 4-1. The Huskies scored the last four goals of the game after giving up a first-period goal to the Pioneers' Nick Johnson.
Momentum did not travel with the Huskies the next day, however, when the same Pioneers team bounced back from the loss with a 3-2 win. Scoring leaders Matt Scherer and Chris Myhro each managed a goal late in the game but the comeback came just short.
"I think we played very well against Sacred Heart on the first game over the break, and I think we played well enough to win in the second game," said Head Coach
Bruce Marshall. "What we need to do is have that kind of effort."
The recent losses can be attributed to the high caliber of non-conference teams the Huskies faced during that span, facing Yale and No. 16 UMass.
The Huskies also faced conference opponents Holy Cross and Sacred Heart, No. 1 in Atlantic Hockey.
"The one that hurts is probably the Holy Cross game mainly because that is a league opponent and that's one that matters most in the end," Marshall said.
UConn's recent woes may have Air Force licking their chops and looking for two wins over the Huskies as the Falcons come in to the two-game series after two straight ties to Sacred Heart last weekend.
"They're going to be good, there's no doubt about it," Marshall said. "They've got a guy who's leading the nation in scoring."
That "guy" is Falcons' forward Eric Ehn. Along with forwards Mike Phillipich and Andrew Ramsey, the three have become the three-headed monster on offense, tallying 32 goals and 40 assists through 18 games.
Ehn leads all Div. I teams with 15 goals and is tied for second in points with Michigan's Ted Hensick with 33.
The Falcons (8-7-3, 5-2-3 Atlantic Hockey) are currently fourth in the conference and can easily move up the rankings with a strong showing this weekend.
"They're a formidable opponent that we're going to have to really work hard at," Marshall said.
The Huskies are eighth in Atlantic Hockey, ahead of only Canisius and American International College, but can get to 6-6-0 in the conference looked toward the semester break - something Marshall believes is crucial to the Huskies' success.
Marshall said that the Huskies can get over the tough non-conference losses - it's the league games that count.
"To be at .500 in the league will be a good start for us," Marshall said. "We need to be consistent, stick to our game plan and play like we did against Sacred Heart."
After a stretch that saw the Huskies fall in four straight road games, the men's hockey team will look to get back on their feet with back-to-back home games against Air Force tonight and tomorrow. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Freitas Ice Forum.
During a 15-day, five-game span, the Huskies (4-10-0, 4-6-0 Atlantic Hockey) lost four games - the only win coming Nov. 25 over Sacred Heart, 4-1. The Huskies scored the last four goals of the game after giving up a first-period goal to the Pioneers' Nick Johnson.
Momentum did not travel with the Huskies the next day, however, when the same Pioneers team bounced back from the loss with a 3-2 win. Scoring leaders Matt Scherer and Chris Myhro each managed a goal late in the game but the comeback came just short.
"I think we played very well against Sacred Heart on the first game over the break, and I think we played well enough to win in the second game," said Head Coach
Bruce Marshall. "What we need to do is have that kind of effort."
The recent losses can be attributed to the high caliber of non-conference teams the Huskies faced during that span, facing Yale and No. 16 UMass.
The Huskies also faced conference opponents Holy Cross and Sacred Heart, No. 1 in Atlantic Hockey.
"The one that hurts is probably the Holy Cross game mainly because that is a league opponent and that's one that matters most in the end," Marshall said.
UConn's recent woes may have Air Force licking their chops and looking for two wins over the Huskies as the Falcons come in to the two-game series after two straight ties to Sacred Heart last weekend.
"They're going to be good, there's no doubt about it," Marshall said. "They've got a guy who's leading the nation in scoring."
That "guy" is Falcons' forward Eric Ehn. Along with forwards Mike Phillipich and Andrew Ramsey, the three have become the three-headed monster on offense, tallying 32 goals and 40 assists through 18 games.
Ehn leads all Div. I teams with 15 goals and is tied for second in points with Michigan's Ted Hensick with 33.
The Falcons (8-7-3, 5-2-3 Atlantic Hockey) are currently fourth in the conference and can easily move up the rankings with a strong showing this weekend.
"They're a formidable opponent that we're going to have to really work hard at," Marshall said.
The Huskies are eighth in Atlantic Hockey, ahead of only Canisius and American International College, but can get to 6-6-0 in the conference looked toward the semester break - something Marshall believes is crucial to the Huskies' success.
Marshall said that the Huskies can get over the tough non-conference losses - it's the league games that count.
"To be at .500 in the league will be a good start for us," Marshall said. "We need to be consistent, stick to our game plan and play like we did against Sacred Heart."
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