(above) Air Force star Jacques Lamoureux will lead Air Force against Michigan on Friday afternoonFrom: MLive.com
by Kevin Ryan
Air Force might be an unfamiliar and seemingly inferior hockey opponent, but the University of Michigan doesn't need much proof to be convinced otherwise.
All the No. 3-ranked Wolverines (29-11), seeded first in the NCAA East Regional, need to do is look at the 15th-ranked and fourth-seeded Falcons' recent tournament results.
The teams, who met once before - in Flint in 1973 - will face off in a semifinal at 3 p.m. Friday at Bridgeport (Conn.) Arena at Harbor Yard. The winner will play the Yale-Vermont winner in Saturday's regional final.
The Falcons (27-10-2), on the tournament bubble before earning an automatic bid by winning the Atlantic Hockey Association, are perceived as a longshot to upset Michigan.
The Wolverines, however, aren't taking them lightly.
That's because Air Force nearly upended other No. 1 seeds. In its first tournament appearance in 2007, Air Force was a No. 4 seed in the NCAA West Regional in Denver as it led No. 1 overall seed Minnesota 3-1 with 8 minutes remaining.
The Golden Gophers needed all of those remaining minutes to win 4-3 and avoid the first-round upset.
Then, at last year's Northeast Regional, Miami (Ohio) came from behind and needed overtime to beat the fourth-seeded Falcons, 3-2. The RedHawks were that tournament's No. 2 overall seed.
"They've had good experiences in the tournament," Michigan coach Red Berenson said after practice Tuesday at Yost Ice Arena. "I watched the Minnesota game, the Miami game, and some games from this year, and they can score and they work hard. They're going to be a tough opponent."
And don't think Air Force racked up lofty statistics - five players with 35-plus points apiece (led by Jacques Lamoureux's 52 points and nation-best 32 goals), and offense (fourth nationally) and defense (seventh) that rivals Michigan's - against softer competition in the AHA.
Louie Caporusso, Michigan's leading goalscorer with 24 and a Hobey Baker Award finalist like Lamoureux, quickly dispelled that myth.
"I betcha Minnesota thought they had an advantage, too, and that didn't exactly work for them," Caporusso, a sophomore, said Tuesday. "So I don't really think it matters who you play during the year. I mean, at the end of the day, that's a good team. They beat Colorado College AND Denver in the past two seasons. They've proven themselves.
"And, they proved themselves last year and the year before. Now those guys are older and it's the same team, pretty much. So we're looking at a good team."
All the No. 3-ranked Wolverines (29-11), seeded first in the NCAA East Regional, need to do is look at the 15th-ranked and fourth-seeded Falcons' recent tournament results.
The teams, who met once before - in Flint in 1973 - will face off in a semifinal at 3 p.m. Friday at Bridgeport (Conn.) Arena at Harbor Yard. The winner will play the Yale-Vermont winner in Saturday's regional final.
The Falcons (27-10-2), on the tournament bubble before earning an automatic bid by winning the Atlantic Hockey Association, are perceived as a longshot to upset Michigan.
The Wolverines, however, aren't taking them lightly.
That's because Air Force nearly upended other No. 1 seeds. In its first tournament appearance in 2007, Air Force was a No. 4 seed in the NCAA West Regional in Denver as it led No. 1 overall seed Minnesota 3-1 with 8 minutes remaining.
The Golden Gophers needed all of those remaining minutes to win 4-3 and avoid the first-round upset.
Then, at last year's Northeast Regional, Miami (Ohio) came from behind and needed overtime to beat the fourth-seeded Falcons, 3-2. The RedHawks were that tournament's No. 2 overall seed.
"They've had good experiences in the tournament," Michigan coach Red Berenson said after practice Tuesday at Yost Ice Arena. "I watched the Minnesota game, the Miami game, and some games from this year, and they can score and they work hard. They're going to be a tough opponent."
And don't think Air Force racked up lofty statistics - five players with 35-plus points apiece (led by Jacques Lamoureux's 52 points and nation-best 32 goals), and offense (fourth nationally) and defense (seventh) that rivals Michigan's - against softer competition in the AHA.
Louie Caporusso, Michigan's leading goalscorer with 24 and a Hobey Baker Award finalist like Lamoureux, quickly dispelled that myth.
"I betcha Minnesota thought they had an advantage, too, and that didn't exactly work for them," Caporusso, a sophomore, said Tuesday. "So I don't really think it matters who you play during the year. I mean, at the end of the day, that's a good team. They beat Colorado College AND Denver in the past two seasons. They've proven themselves.
"And, they proved themselves last year and the year before. Now those guys are older and it's the same team, pretty much. So we're looking at a good team."
2 comments:
GO Air Force!
GOO MICHH, CAPORUSSOO LEADING US TO THE FROZENN FOURR BABYY
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