AIC YELLOW JACKETS (3-20-7, 3-14-7 AHC)
vs.
AIR FORCE FALCONS (11-17-3, 10-10-2 AHC)



Friday, February 13, 9:05 p.m. | Saturday, February 14, 6:05 p.m.
Cadet Ice Arena, 2169 Field House Drive, US Air Force Academy, Colo.

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LEADERS:

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL:
Goals:Austin Orszulak19,Alexander MacMillan14, Four Players w/5
Assists:Alexander MacMillan18,Johno May17,Chris Porter13
Points:Alexander MacMillan32,Austin Orszulak29,Johno May22
Goalkeepers:Alex Murray: 2-13-5, 3.80 GAA, .903 SV%, 0 SO
Hunter Leisner: 1-7-2, 3.98 GAA, .898 SV%, 0 SO
Special Teams: PP 17/89 (19.1%) | PK 71/97 (73.2%)

AIR FORCE:
Goals:Scott Holm 14, Chad Demers 11, Cole Gunner 11
Assists:Cole Gunner 20, Scott Holm 16, Chad Demers 16
Points:Cole Gunner 31, Scott Holm 30, Chad Demers 27
Goalkeepers: Chris Truehl: 8-13-3, 3.06 GAA, .896 SV%, 0 SO
Connor Girard: 3-3-0, 2.67 GAA, .897 SV%, 0 SO
Special Teams: PP 23/125 (18.4%) | PK 90/108 (83.3%)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-The American International College hockey team looks to turn the tables this weekend with a visit to the Air Force Academy for two Atlantic Hockey Conference contests in the Rocky Mountains.

LAST TIME OUT: AIC suffered a sweep at the hands of Mercyhurst, 3-1 and 5-2, last weekend. In Friday's contest, the Jackets overcame a 1-0 deficit with a goal by junior left wing Chris Porter (Stouffville, Ont.) a little more than five minutes into the second, but the Lakers picked up the first power play of the game and scored the goal that would prove to be the game winner only four minutes later, and the only other goal of the game was a late empty-netter by the Lakers to seal the deal in a contest where the real storyline was stellar goalkeeping; sophomore Hunter Leisner (Garland, Texas) had 33 stops in the setback. The Jackets had the lead twice on Saturday, as the top line of sophomore left wing Austin Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.), senior center Alexander MacMillan (Calgary, Alb.), and freshman right wing Johno May (Mahtomedi, Minn.) accounted for two points each, with MacMillan and Orszulak scoring a goal and assisting another, but the Lakers were able to erupt for three in the third, including an empty-netter, to ultimately earn the 5-2 win and the sweep.

Air Force likewise is coming off of a sweep, falling 5-4 and 3-2 at Sacred Heart. Special teams were the doom of the Falcons, as they were up 4-2 with under ten minutes to go in regulation Friday before conceding a penalty shot and then a power play goal in the overtime loss, and then on Saturday they surrendered a pair of shorthanded markers, including the game-winning goal in the third, for the 3-2 final. Air Force did have two power play goals in both games, however.

LAST TIME THEY MET: AIC's offense sputtered as they were swept by the Air Force Falcons, 2-1 in OT and 6-2, at the Olympia Ice Center. In the Friday contest, the teams traded chances for the first 34 minutes before Air Force finally broke a scoreless deadlock with a deflection goal at 14:22; AIC had a strong third period and finally was able to get the equalizer as May scored on a one-timer with 1:52 left in regulation from Orszulak and MacMillan. However, Air Force netted a goal with :57 left in OT to take the two points; Leisner had 36 saves in the loss. On Saturday, Air Force scored an early first period goal to take a 1-0 lead into the intermission. AIC scored to tie it on the power play in the second, as MacMillan ripped a shot home from Porter, with freshman goalkeeper Alex Murray (Burlington, Ont.) earning his first career point on the goal. However, the Falcons netted three in the period to take a 4-1 lead, and though Porter scored a goal in the third to make it 4-2, Air Force used their special teams to ultimately end up with a 6-2 win; Murray had 30 saves before being pulled for freshman Jacob Caffrey (Bethesda, Md.).

VALENTINE'S DAY MATCHUP: This is the second year in a row that both teams have played on February 14. Last season, AIC overcame a 4-1 deficit at the Olympia to Sacred Heart only to fall, 5-4, in overtime, while Air Force was blanked by Canisius, 4-0.

PLAYOFF PICTURE TAKING SHAPE: With only three weeks left to the regular season, pieces are starting to fall into place in the Atlantic Hockey Conference. Robert Morris has all but locked up the top seed in the conference; a tie or a Bentley tie or loss would seal the top spot in the league. At the same time, the three teams who will be on the road in the first round-Army, AIC, and Niagara-are all assured, with only their final position to be determined. It is only the middle of the pack, seeds two through eight, that are really fluid at this point.

MORE RECORDS AND MILESTONES IN SIGHT: For MacMillan, a record firmly in the crosshairs: the single-season points mark. Jon Puskar '14 had 18-17-35 last season, a season he spent on the left side of MacMillan. The senior center has 14-18-32 so far this season, and with four games left should be able to get to 36 and beyond.

Meanwhile, Orszulak sits at 19 goals on the campaign, already a college record, and his next target is a simple one: become the first 20-goal scorer in school history.

BYE BYE BYE: The Yellow Jackets will have two weeks to get ready for their next opponent, as they are the one team in Atlantic Hockey to have a bye week next weekend.

NEXT UP: The Yellow Jackets host Senior Night on Friday, February 27 at 7:05 p.m. when they welcome the Army Black Knights to the Olympia Ice Center and honor the players who will be playing their final home game of their collegiate career; the two squads meet the next night at West Point's Tate Rink to close out the regular season.