Rochester Institute of Technology (5-8-1, 4-3-1 AHA) at No. 10 Air Force (13-1, 10-0 AHA)
What: AHA two-game series
When: Tonight and Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Cadet Ice Arena
TV/Radio: None/KCS 1300 AM
Notes: It’s far too early to become concerned about the Pairwise Rankings, but for what it’s worth, Air Force is No. 1 in the computer poll that mimics the method used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. At this rate, the Falcons would be the first team to garner an automatic berth to the 16-team field and not have to win the AHA Tournament championship to make their third straight appearance. No AHA team has qualified for an at-large berth because of the league’s strength of schedule and inability to upset teams from the “Big Four” conferences. . . . Air Force is 8-8-2 against RIT. Dating to last season, the Falcons have won 11 straight AHA games and are on a 13-game unbeaten streak at home, where they have triumphed in nine straight. Air Force leads the country in goals per game (4.79) and has produced three or more goals in 12 of the 14 games — and scored five or more in six. The Falcons also lead the nation in scoring margin (plus-3.87).
No. 7 Denver (9-5-1, 5-4-1 WCHA) at Michigan Tech (2-11-1, 1-8-1 WCHA)
What: WCHA two-game series
When: Tonight and Saturday, 5 p.m. MST
Where: MacInnes Ice Arena, Houghton, Mich.
TV/Radio: None/KLZ 960 AM (tonight), KCKK 1510 AM (Saturday)
Notes: Michigan Tech is on a nine-game winless skid (0-8-1) and has lost five in a row. The Huskies have scored only 21 goals in 14 games, and no more than two in their winless streak. . . . DU is 0-3 on the road but brings a three-game winning streak into tonight’s game. The Pioneers have not scored a first-period goal on the road this season. . . . DU’s Tyler Bozak and Anthony Maiani are riding four-game point streaks, and goalie Marc Cheverie has a 0.69 goals-against average and .981 save percentage in his past three games. . . . DU is 7-0 when scoring at least four goals, and 7-1-1 when holding opponents to two goals or fewer. . . . DU freshman defenseman and power-play quarterback Patrick Wiercioch is on the trip but will not play in next weekend’s games at Minnesota State. Instead, he will try out for Canada’s World Junior team. If he makes the prestigious squad, he will also miss the post-Christmas Denver Cup.
Minnesota-Duluth (6-4-4, 3-4-3 WCHA) at No. 3 Colorado College (9-4-3, 6-3-1 WCHA)
What: WCHA two-game series
When: Tonight (7:30) and Saturday (7 p.m.)
Where: Colorado Springs World Arena
TV/Radio: None/KKFN 104.3 FM
Notes: CC has lost on Friday night the past four weeks, but is 6-0-1 in the second game of its seven weekend series. . . . The Tigers went 4-0 against the Bulldogs last season, posting three shutouts. . . . Twelve of CC’s 16 games have ended in ties or been decided by one goal. . . . The Tigers’ top line of center Chad Rau and Bill Sweatt and Eric Walsky has produced 54 of the team’s 110 points (49.1 percent), including 25-of-43 goals (58.1 percent).
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
