This Week's Storylines (CC Athletics)

This Week’s Storylines
• Three first-place teams converge on the World Arena ice this weekend when WCHA-leading Colorado College plays host to Bemidji State University and Air Force in a pair of non-conference games. Bemidji State sits atop the College Hockey America standings, while the Falcons own a two-point lead in the Atlantic Hockey Association.
• Including a pair of preseason exhibition victories, CC is a perfect 11-0 at home, where it remains to play nine more of its final 14 regular-season games. The Tigers currently own a six-point lead over second-place Denver as well as a 12-point cushion over third-place North Dakota in the WCHA standings, although DU and UND each have two games in hand.
• Junior center Chad Rau continues to lead the WCHA in scoring, with 24 points (15g,9a) in league play, while freshman Richard Bachman is No. 1 in all major goaltending categories, both overall and in conference play.

Icers Shooting to Continue Streak
In Non-League Play vs. BSU & AFA

Key Non-League Games on Tap: Colorado College wraps up its current four-game home stand this weekend with a pair of non-conference games at the World Arena (7,343 seating capacity) against Bemidji State University and in-town rival Air Force Academy. Faceoff for Friday’s contest with BSU is is 7:37 p.m. (MST), while Saturday’s annual meeting with the Falcons begins at 7:07 p.m.

For the Record: CC, 15-3 in league play after sweeping the University of Alaska Anchorage (6-1, 5-2) at the World Arena last weekend, is 16-6 overall after winning 14 of its last 17 games since early November. The Tigers continue to lead the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings...Bemidji State, which won twice at College Hockey America rival Alabama-Huntsville (4-0, 7-1) last weekend, is 8-2-2 in the CHA and 11-9-2 overall...Air Force is 9-6-3 in Atlantic Hockey Association play and 11-7-4 overall after last week’s split with RIT at the Cadet Ice Arena. The Falcons won, 5-2, on Friday but dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime on Saturday.

In the Rankings: The Tigers have moved up a notch to No. 3 in this week’s national polls published by U.S. College Hockey Online/CSTV and USA Today/American Hockey Magazine. CC also has climbed from fourth to third in the power rankings conducted by InsideCollegeHockey.com (INCH), which lists Bemidji State and Air Force at No. 18 and 19, respectively, this week.

Coach’s Corner: Scott Owens (Colorado College ‘79), who has recorded more victories than any head coach in the history of Tiger Hockey, is in his ninth season at the helm of his alma mater. Owens is 211-115-24 (.637) in 350 games behind the bench, and has guided the Tigers to five NCAA playoff berths in his previous eight campaigns...Tom Serratore (Bemidji State ‘87) is in his seventh season at the BSU helm, where he owns a record of 114-95-27 (.540)...Older brother Frank Serratore (Bemidji State ‘82) is in his 11th year behind the Air Force bench. He’s 160-196-28 (.453) with the Falcons and 209-288-37 (.426) in 15 seasons overall in the Division I ranks.

The All-Time Series: While Colorado College is 2-1 in three previous meetings with Bemidji State, CC and Air Force renew a long-standing rivalry that began during the 1969-70 season. The Tigers own a 55-6-2 advantage in 63 games since then. They have defeated AFA 24 consecutive times and are unbeaten (28-0-1) in the last 29 battles between the teams, including a 2-1 triumph at the academy to open the 2006-07 campaign. The Falcons’ last victory, a 6-5 overtime decision at the old Broadmoor World Arena, came on Nov. 9, 1985. The teams skated to a 3-3 tie at the academy on Nov. 10, 1989. Colorado College has won all eight previous meetings during Owens’ reign as head coach, including five at the Colorado Springs World Arena.

Scouting the Opposition: Bemidji State’s top scorer is freshman forward Matt Read, with 18 points (6g,12a) in 22 games. Senior goaltender Matt Climie is 9-4-2 between the pipes, with a 1.78 GAA and .927 saves percentage. Air Force is led by senior forward Eric Ehn, a 2006-07 All-American and Hobey Baker Award finalist who has 24 points (6g,18a) this season. In net, sophomore Andrew Volkening is 11-6-4 with a 2.43 GAA and .894 saves ratio.

Recapping Last Week’s Sweep: Senior right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick (New Prague, MN) had a hand in seven of CC’s 11 goals, scoring one in each game and assisting on five, to fuel the two victories over Alaska Anchorage. He helped set up junior forward Eric Walsky’s (Anchorage, AK) game winner on Friday, just eight seconds before scoring himself to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead midway through the second period. Kilpatrick was credited with the game-winning goal on Saturday, clicking during a second-period power play. Junior center Chad Rau (Eden Prairie, MN) collected 5 points (3g,2a) in the sweep, scoring twice on Saturday including an empty netter that clinched the 5-2 victory with 14 seconds left to play. Walksy, who set up Kilpatrick’s GWG that night, struck for Colorado College’s first two red lighters on Friday, when senior left wing Scott McCulloch (Lacombe, Alta.), Rau and freshman center Tyler Johnson (Cloquet, MN) joined him and Kilpatrick in finding the back of the net. Sophomore forwards Brian McMillin (Roseau, MN) and Bill Sweatt (Elburn, IL) also lit the lamp on Saturday. Senior forward/team captain Scott Thauwald (Rochester, MN) contributed three assists in the sweep, while freshman goalie Richard Bachman (Highlands Ranch, CO) made 21 saves on Friday and 19 on Saturday to backstop both victories.

For Comparison’s Sake: While the Tigers are just 1-3 in non-conference play heading into this week’s action, their 30 points in the WCHA standings already surpasses their total of last season. CC, which finished fifth in 2006-07 with a league record of 13-12-3 (29 points), now has swept six weekend series in ‘07-08, including two each against Alaska Anchorage and Wisconsin. With five weekends of conference play remaining, that’s two more than in all of last campaign.

Favorite Opponent: Like his team, Kilpatrick has thrived against UAA over the course of his career. While Colorado College now is 45-11-3 (.788) all-time against the Seawolves, including a 30-2 mark (.938) on home ice, the newest WCHA Offensive Player of the Week has collected 24 (8g,16a) of his 99 (33g,66a) career points in just 12 all-time appearances against them. He’s scored three game-winning goals and assisted on two others against UAA. Now one point shy of becoming the 70th member of Tiger Hockey’s elite “Century Club” during the program’s 70th-year anniversary season, Kilpatrick has factored in on 21 GWG altogether during his four years at CC, scoring eight and assisting on 13. He’s struck for three and helped set up two more so far in 2007-08.

Niche in History: The two goals within eight seconds by Walsky and Kilpatrick last Friday marked Colorado College’s fastest pair of the season as well as tying as the program’s fourth quickest ever. The only three quicker ones came on Feb. 1, 1952 (2 seconds), in a 14-7 victory over Michigan Tech; Nov. 17, 2006 (5 seconds), in a 7-2 triumph over Minnesota State; and Nov. 18, 1966 (6 seconds) in a 12-2 win over Lake Forest College. The Tigers have scored twice in less than two minutes on four occasions this season.

Keeping His Streak Intact: Rau, who continues to rank first among WCHA scoring leaders with 24 points (15g,9a) in league play, now has collected at least one in 15 consecutive games as well as in 19 of 21 in which he’s played this season. He also leads the nation with five shorthanded goals among his career-best 17 red lighters overall. He’s scored at least once in his last six outings, and now has 23 points (15g,8a) during his current 15-game streak, giving him 28 (17g,10a) overall this campaign and 89 (44g,45a) for his career at CC.

Rookie Sensation: Bachman, now 14-2 in WCHA play and 15-3 overall for the season, has given up one or fewer goals in 11 of his 16 league starts. The freshman standout leads the conference in all major goaltending categories, both overall and in league play. His 1.61 GAA and .940 saves percentage for all games rank first among regulars nationwide. Bachman earlier was named National Rookie of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners’ Association after backstopping six consecutive victories over ranked WCHA opponents during November. He’s also earned four separate WCHA Player of the Week awards.

Penalty Killing Prowess: The Tigers have held their opponent scoreless on the power play in four consecutive outings and in 14 overall for the season. They’ve given up only five PPG in their 18 league games, and continue to lead the WCHA with a .932 success ratio (69-for-74) on the penalty kill in conference play. Their .896 (86-for-96) mark overall also is a league best, and ranks third best nationally.

Tiger Bites: Including a 10-1-1 record in exhibition games, CC is 161-57-8 (.730) in 226 all-time contests at the World Arena since opening the facility a decade ago, in January 1998...Sophomore defenseman Brian Connelly (Bloomington, MN) has assisted on a team-high four game-winning goals this season after teaming up with Walsky to set up Kilpatrick’s second-period power-play tally last Saturday. Connelly also picked up an assist in Friday’s victory...Colorado College has allowed 22 or fewer shots on goal in four consecutive games as well as in six of its last seven...With an assist last Friday, senior defenseman Jack Hillen (Minnetonka, MN) already has matched his career high for most points in a season. He has 15 (3g,12a) to rank third among all WCHA blue-line specialists...The Tigers, who struck five times in the final 20 minutes of last weekend’s games, have scored 13 goals in the third period of their last five victories. Of their 74 tallies overall this season, including one in overtime, 29 (39.2 percent) have come in the third period.