Eric Ehn became Air Force’s first Hobey Baker Award finalist Thursday as national player of the year, and today the junior center from Dexter, Mich., could help put an even bigger stamp on the Falcons’ program.
Air Force (17-15-5) is two victories from making the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The fourth-seeded Falcons face top-seeded Sacred Heart (21-10-4) in today’s semifinals of the Atlantic Hockey Association tournament in Rochester, N.Y. The winner plays for an automatic NCAA Tournament berth in Saturday’s AHA championship.
No. 2 Army (16-11-5) and No. 3 Connecticut (16-17-2) play in the other semifinal at Ritter Arena.
Ehn, also named AHA player of the year Thursday, is tied with Michigan senior and Avalanche draftee T.J. Hensick with an NCAA-leading 62 points. Ehn (pronounced Eeen) leads the country with 1.68 points per game and his plus-27 rating is tops in the AHA.
“We have the skill, the ability, the goaltending, the passion – everything it takes to win these two games,” Ehn said. “The thing we’ve missed this year is consistency, and I think that’s our strength right now. We’re pretty happy with how we’ve played over the last month, and we’re hoping to keep that rolling this weekend.”
Air Force is the state’s best bet to make the 16-team national field. Late-season slumps by the University of Denver and Colorado College have taken the two Western Collegiate Hockey Association programs out of the picture, although the Pioneers still have a slight chance.
Air Force coach Frank Serratore, who last fall completed a five-year term on the NCAA selection committee, said the NCAA was banking on DU or CC to play in next week’s West Regional at the Pepsi Center. Serratore was on the committee when Denver was awarded the West Regional and next year’s Frozen Four.
“If Denver doesn’t get in, they better pray we do,” Serratore said. “Obviously, they want a hometown team here. When we took that bid a couple years ago, we took the assumption that Denver or CC, or somebody special, would be there.”
It could be the Falcons, who have won their past four games and outscored their opponents a combined 19-3. Senior goalie Ben Worker has started three of those games, posting two shutouts and allowing just two goals.
Senior wing Andrew Ramsey missed the Falcons’ previous game with a shoulder injury, but will rejoin Ehn’s line, which includes sophomore Mike Phillipich. The line has produced 58 of the team’s 118 goals.
Ehn leads the Falcons with 24 goals and 38 assists. The AHA scoring champion already holds the conference and program single-season scoring records.
Air Force and Sacred Heart played to overtime ties in the regular season, but the Falcons outshot the Pioneers a combined 74-51 in the 1-1 and 3-3 games on Dec. 1-2 in Colorado Springs.
WCHA awards
DU and CC were nearly overlooked in Thursday’s WCHA awards banquet that kicked off the Final Five in St. Paul, Minn. Pioneers center Ryan Dingle and Tigers defenseman Lee Sweatt were named third team all-WCHA. Those were the only honorees from the Front Range teams.
North Dakota’s Ryan Duncan was named WCHA player of the year, and Michigan Tech’s Jamie Russell and St. Cloud State’s Bob Motzko shared coach of the year honors.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
