RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

[LtPowers]

Still no score, 3:21 left in the first.

Sounds like more of the same -- RIT getting some good chances but can't put the puck in the net. *sigh*


Powers &8^]

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Sounds like the goaltending has been better for Air Force. 13 saves so far.
Lines juggling again. Fairchild-Lamoreux-Carew on the first line, with Weisgarber-Hajner-Burnett on the 2nd.

Spoke too soon. 1-0 RIT with :54 left.
Sean Murphy puts back a rebound.

End of 1st. 1-0 RIT. Shots 16-5 RIT, thanks to 2 PPs.
Frank said this week it might get worse before it gets better. I hope he was wrong, for once.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Sorry. Got caught watching the 3rd period of DU and the Goofers on FSN.
Air Force takes a 3-1 lead on goals by Durham, Fairchild (PP), and Sellers.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Janda makes it 3-2 Air Force, 4:07 left in the 2nd.

[JW Tigers]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

SOG so far: 25 for AFA, 24 for RIT.

RIT goes on a PP with about 4:30 left in the second

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Carew with a shorty, 4-2 Air Force.

[vizoroo]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Go AFA!

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

18 seconds later, Murphy makes it 4-3 Air Force. End of 2nd.
All of a sudden, the goaltending evaporates.

[JW Tigers]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

AFA doesn't seem to play d so far this season, so I hope they can score in bunches!

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

This is the first year in the last four that Air Force hasn't had an experienced senior defensive pairing. Brett Nylander played up front most of his career, and Brandon Johnson missed all of last season. Sellers is a Jr., Mathis and Kirby are sophomores, and one of the freshmen rotates into the starting 6.
They've been unimpressive so far, but the offense hasn't taken much pressure off, either. Four goals is a season-high. Hopefully there are a few more in them.

3rd is underway. AF with an early PP.

[JW Tigers]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

This is the first year in the last four that Air Force hasn't had an experienced senior defensive pairing. Brett Nylander played up front most of his career, and Brandon Johnson missed all of last season. Sellers is a Jr., Mathis and Kirby are sophomores, and one of the freshmen rotates into the starting 6.
They've been unimpressive so far, but the offense hasn't taken much pressure off, either. Four goals is a season-high. Hopefully there are a few more in them.

Losing Greg Flynn is what had/has me worried going into this season. You can't lose a guy like that and NOT notice a big difference. Yeah, Nylander played d a bit last year, but he's primarily a forward so hopefully he'll adjust well. He's a good, hard working player, so I think he'll be fine. The main thing I look for is for AFA to "hang in there" until the d starts to click. Once they do, this team will once again be very dangerous.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

RIT returns the shorty from Favot. 4-4, 17:15 left.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Flynn was an offensive force, but Mayra was a HUGE (literally) presence, too. Both were 4-year starters. Nylander started up front as a frosh, switched to D as a sophomore, started last year up front but switched back to the blue line mid season. He's a solid player in either position.

We need one of the frosh to step up and claim the last spot, and for the regulars to solidify their games. Getting Lamoreux going would help, too.

Still 4-4, 10:30 left.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Sellers draws iron with 8:00 left. Still 4-4.

Now 6:12 left. Bonus hockey?

[JW Tigers]

Re: RIT @ Air Force - 23 Oct 2009

Flynn was an offensive force, but Mayra was a HUGE (literally) presence, too. Both were 4-year starters. Nylander started up front as a frosh, switched to D as a sophomore, started last year up fron but switched back to the blue line mid season. He's a solid player in either position.

We need one of the frosh to step up and claim the last spot, and for the regulars to solidify their games. Getting Lamoreux going would help, too.

Still 4-4, 13:22 left.

You're right that Mayra is also a huge loss. Guys like that don't get the notoriety, but one certainly notices when they're gone. As for Flynn, he was an offensive d-man who was also very solid defensively. His combined skill (and his ability to keep the puck moving, especially on the PP), is one of the most difficult roles to replace in this sport. There just aren't many offensive d-men who actually play well defensively, too.