| February
14, 2007 | 7:17 p.m.
ATLANTIC HOCKEY JOURNAL
Huskies Hauling Forward
By Jim Connelly
Attention teams at the top of Atlantic Hockey: The objects you see
in your rearview mirror are Huskies, and they’re closer than
they appear.
You’ve read it correct, folks. UConn, a
team that had just one win in its first seven games, is probably
playing the best hockey among the Atlantic Hockey teams and has
the gas peddle to the metal heading for the top of the standings.
Last weekend, the Huskies swept Bentley –
their second straight weekend series sweep. UConn is now 7-3-1 since
the beginning of 2007, sitting in fourth place in Atlantic Hockey,
and on the verge of clinching home ice.
So what has turned this team around? Well a quick
look at the stats would say defense and goaltending have a lot to
do with it. UConn, which allowed five or more goals eight times
before the holiday break, have not surrendered more than four goals
in 2007. Rookie goaltender Beau Erickson has been a bright light
for the Huskies, boasting an 8-5-1 record, a 2.98 goals-against
average and a .908 save percentage.
Two wins against last-place AIC this weekend will
lock up UConn’s first home-ice playoff berth since 1999-2000,
when the Huskies captured the MAAC Championship as the tournament’s
No. 4 seed.
NEHJ Player of the Week
Matt Scherer, Sr., UConn
The Huskies’ leading goal-scorer provided the offensive spark
needed last weekend against Bentley – registering four goals
in the two games. Netting two goals in each game, Scherer had the
tying goal in Friday night’s 4-3 victory and both goals, including
the game-winner late, in Saturday’s 2-1 win.
Looking Ahead
Mercyhurst at RIT, Friday and
Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17
With just four regular-season games remaining in Atlantic Hockey,
RIT is in position to accomplish the unthinkable and clinch the
regular-season championship. The Tigers, as most know, are in their
first season of Atlantic Hockey play and would sew up the title
with either a combination a weekend sweep of the Lakers. It would
be the earliest the Atlantic Hockey regular-season title would be
wrapped up.
Around Atlantic Hockey
 Air
Force
Once considered one of the league’s hottest teams, Air Force
has hit the skids at the wrong time – falling victim to a
second straight weekend sweep, this one at the hands of RIT. In
scoring four goals in Friday’s 5-4 loss, it was the fifth
time this year and second times in as many weeks the Falcons reached
the four-goal plateau but lost. .
 AIC
All-time, AIC is 4-22-1 against Quinnipiac and has only one win
on the road, a 4-3 decision on Jan. 26, 2001, after the Yellow Jackets
fell to the Bobcats, 8-1, Tuesday.
 Army
The Black Knights spent last weekend idle after their annual affair
with the Royal Military College of Canada was canceled due to a
scheduling glitch. Returning to action rested, Army will look to
clinch playoff home ice for the first time in school history. They
will do so with two wins at home against Bentley or one win and
a Holy Cross loss.
 Bentley
The Falcons are in the midst of a four-game losing streak and will
look to avoid matching the season-long mark of five straight on
the road this weekend at Army. The Falcons have struggled on the
road all season, mustering just a 3-14-1 record away from John A.
Ryan Arena. At home, Bentley is an impressive 8-4-0.
 Canisius
The Griffs earned their first win against Holy Cross at home last
weekend since Oct. 28, 2000, with a 5-2 victory on Friday night.
Saturday’s loss to the Crusaders marked the end of Canisius’
home schedule – its final three games this year coming on
the road. The Griffs are 2-13-1 away from home this season.
 Connecticut
Scoring goals 16 through 19 of the season last weekend, Matt Scherer
is just two points shy of becoming the 27th player in UConn history
to reach the 100-point plateau for their career. The weekend sweep
of Bentley gave UConn 13 league wins on the season, the most since
joining Atlantic Hockey.
 Holy
Cross
The Crusaders are on the outside looking in for the final home-ice
playoff spot entering the final two weeks of the season. Holy Cross
sits in sixth place, two points behind Air Force for the final home
ice slot. The Crusaders are one game below .500 in league play and
could finish below .500 for the first time since joining Atlantic
Hockey.
 Mercyhurst
The Lakers are in the midst of a major standings battle but unlike
most years this isn’t for home ice or a league title. Mercyhurst
is looking to avoid the tournament play-in game between the eighth
and ninth playoff seeds and currently holds a one-point lead over
Canisius for the seventh seed. The two clubs will play on the final
night of the season.
 RIT
Goaltender Louis Menard became the first RIT goaltender this season
to earn a victory in relief. Menard replaced teammate Jocelyn Guimond
on Friday after Guimond surrendered four goals in just less than
25 minutes to Air Force. From there, though, Menard shut down the
Falcons and RIT rallied for the game’s final three goals and
a 5-4 victory.
 Sacred
Heart
Senior Pierre-Luc O’Brien completed his hat trick of school
record on Saturday night potting an empty-net goal in a 4-2 victory
over Mercyhurst. It was the 66th goal of his career, a new school
record. O’Brien already holds the all-time marks for assists
and points in a career.
Jim Connelly can be reached via email
at feedback@hockeyjournal.com.
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