2008 Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournament

The 2008 Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournament was the 5th conference tournament in league history. It was played between March 7 and March 16, 2008. Quarterfinal games were played at home team campus sites, while all 'Final Five' games were played at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. By winning the tournament, Air Force received Atlantic Hockey's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

2008 Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
Dates	March 7–16, 2008
Teams	10
Finals site	Blue Cross Arena Rochester, New York
Champions	Air Force[1] (2nd title)
Winning coach	Frank Serratore[2] (2nd title)
MVP	Brent Olson[3] (Air Force)
Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournaments ← 2007 2009 →

Format

The tournament featured four rounds of play. Teams were seeded No. 1 through No. 10 according to their final conference standing, with a tiebreaker system used to seed teams with an identical number of points accumulated. The top five seeded teams each earned home ice and hosted one of the lower seeded teams. All quarterfinal matchups were best-of-three series with the top three remaining seeds receiving byes into the semifinal round and the lowest two remaining seeds playing in a four-vs-five match. All rounds after the quarterfinals were conducted as single-elimination games. The winner of the four-vs-five game would advance to the semifinals to play the highest remaining seed while the other two remaining seeds faced off in the other semifinal game. The winners of the semifinal games advanced to play each other in a championship game with the tournament champion receiving an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Conference Standings

Note: GP = Games Played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against

2007–08 Atlantic Hockey standings
	Conference								Overall
	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
Army†	28	17	8	3	37	84	51		37	19	14	4	101	73
RIT	28	15	8	5	35	87	72		37	19	12	6	116	109
Air Force*	28	14	9	5	33	89	65		39	21	12	6	130	91
Sacred Heart	28	14	11	3	31	91	79		38	16	19	3	111	116
Mercyhurst	28	11	10	7	29	83	89		41	15	19	7	112	133
Canisius	28	10	13	5	25	80	79		37	11	20	6	93	121
Connecticut	28	11	14	3	25	62	84		37	13	21	3	79	126
Bentley	28	9	13	6	24	81	88		36	9	21	6	89	124
Holy Cross	28	9	15	4	22	66	85		36	10	19	7	88	114
American International	28	8	17	3	19	67	98		36	8	23	5	83	135
Championship: Air Force † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Final rankings: USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Top 15 Poll

[4]

Bracket

[5] Teams are reseeded after the Quarterfinals

	Quarterfinals[6] March 7-9							Four vs. Five[7] March 14					Semifinals March 15					Championship March 16
	1	Army	4	5	—								1	Army	2
	10	American International	0	2	—			4	Sacred Heart	1			5	Mercyhurst	4
								5	Mercyhurst	4
	2	RIT	5*	5*	—
	9	Holy Cross	4	4	—
	3	Air Force	9	3	—													3	Air Force	5**
	8	Bentley	2	1	—													5	Mercyhurst	4
	4	Sacred Heart	6	2	4
	7	Connecticut	5	3*	1
	5	Mercyhurst	4	2*	—								2	RIT	0
	6	Canisius	1	1	—								3	Air Force	5

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Quarterfinals

(1) Army vs. (10) American International

March 7[8]	Army		4 – 0		American International	Tate Rink	Recap
(Flicek, Meyer) Bryce Hollweg - GW - 03:11		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(Pierson, Sefchik) Rob Ross - 08:56 (Anderson) Will Ryan - 12:25 (unassisted) Eric Sefchik - 13:10		Third period			No scoring
( 24 saves / 24 shots ) Josh Kassel		Goalie stats			Dan Ramirez ( 27 saves / 31 shots )

March 8[9]	Army		5 – 2		American International	Tate Rink	Recap
(Ryan, Colvin) Joey Ammon - 13:15		First period			09:12 - PP - Mark Pavli (Bolognino, McMillan) 17:23 - Greg Genovese (Little, Campanale)
(Fearing, Colvin) Ken Rowe - 04:11 (unassisted) Owen Meyer - GW PS - 19:19 (Omilusik) Ken Rowe - 19:39		Second period			No scoring
(Sefchik, Meyer) Bryce Hollweg - 01:59		Third period			No scoring
( 28 saves / 30 shots ) Josh Kassel		Goalie stats			Tom Fenton ( 29 saves / 34 shots )

Army won series 2–0

(2) RIT vs. (9) Holy Cross

March 7[10]	RIT		5 – 4	OT	Holy Cross	Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena	Recap
(Lambert, Ringwald) Matt Smith - PP - 08:25		First period			19:32 - Joe Brock (Dams, Reinhardt)
No scoring		Second period			19:59 - Matt Znutas (unassisted)
(Sarazin, Burns) Stevan Matic - 02:33 (Ringwald, Lambert) Matt Smith - PP - 08:54 (Burns) Matt Smith - 16:01		Third period			06:21 - PP - Matt Burke (Forshner) 09:06 - Brodie Sheahan (Forshner, Gabriel)
(Lambert, Ringwald) Matt Crowell - GW - 15:19		First overtime period			No scoring
( 21 saves / 25 shots ) Louis Menard		Goalie stats			Adam Roy ( 36 saves / 41 shots )

March 8[11]	RIT		5 – 4	OT	Holy Cross	Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena	Recap
(Lambert, Murphy) Matt Smith - PP - 03:12 (Favot, Lambert) Matt Crowell - 15:43		First period			08:19 - Dale Reinhardt (Dams)
(Lambert, Murphy) Matt Smith - PP - 01:07		Second period			05:16 - Cal St. Denis (Franklin, Jelinek) 05:54 - Rob Forshner (Sheen, Werry) 12:34 - Rob Forshner (Burke, Brock)
(Draper, Kharin) Jesse Newman - 08:32		Third period			No scoring
(Patry, Walton) Matt Smith - GW - 04:17		First overtime period			No scoring
( 17 saves / 21 shots ) Louis Menard		Goalie stats			Adam Roy ( 33 saves / 38 shots )

RIT won series 2–0

(3) Air Force vs. (8) Bentley

March 7[12]	Air Force		9 – 2		Bentley	Cadet Ice Arena
(Fairchild, Flynn) Josh Schaffer - 09:01		First period			11:07 - Pat Percella (Preece)
(Nylander, Hajner) Derrick Burnett - PP - 02:50 (Olson, Frider) Scott Kozlak - GW - 04:18 (Nylander, Mayra) Sean Bertsch - 04:54 (Charbonneau, Frider) Mike Phillipich - PP - 07:22 (Hajner, Burnett) Brett Nylander - 09:33 (Kelly, Sellers) Blake Page - 13:05 (Hajner) Greg Flynn - PP - 16:37		Second period			No scoring
(Bertsch, Phillipich) Brad Sellers - 07:26		Third period			12:49 - Jeff Gumaer (Canzoneri, Prewitt)
( 16 saves / 18 shots ) Andrew Volkening		Goalie stats			Joe Calvi ( 13 saves / 17 shots ) / Nick Moise ( 14 saves / 19 shots )

March 8[13]	Air Force		3 – 1		Bentley	Cadet Ice Arena	Recap
(Fairchild, Flynn) Brent Olson - PP - 09:27 (Hajner, Burnett) Greg Flynn - GW PP - 10:03		First period			No scoring
(Burnett, Charbonneau) Jeff Hajner - PP - 03:59		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			15:12 - Dain Prewitt (Cloutier, Canzoneri)
( 21 saves / 22 shots ) Andrew Volkening		Goalie stats			Joe Calvi ( 43 saves / 46 shots )

Air Force won series 2–0

(4) Sacred Heart vs. (7) Connecticut

March 7[14]	Sacred Heart		6 – 5		Connecticut	Milford Ice Pavilion
(Tyll, Drew) Alexandre Parent - 17:47		First period			No scoring
(Knowlton, Johnson) Scott Marchesi - PP - 05:06 (Tyll) Alexandre Parent - SH - 10:30		Second period			13:09 - PP - Brendan Olinyk (Ochoa, Hernandez) 17:28 - PP - Matt Pedemonti (Schneider, Behler) 18:12 - Matt Miller (Krispel, Olson)
(Jarman) Erik Boisvert - SH - 06:10 (Parent, Grimson) Bear Trapp - PP - 08:41 (Parent, Boisvert) Dave Jarman - GW - 15:38		Third period			07:04 - Jeff Sapieha (Olinyk, Miller) 19:45 - Matt Pedemonti (Olson, Schneider)
( 30 saves / 35 shots ) Stefan Drew		Goalie stats			Beau Erickson ( 19 saves / 25 shots )

March 8[15]	Sacred Heart		2 – 3	OT	Connecticut	Milford Ice Pavilion
(Trapp, Giosa) Nick Johnson - 07:09		First period			09:46 - Jason Krispel (Olson, Spicer)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(Gordon) Evan Mladenoff - 18:02		Third period			06:08 - Andrew Olson (Spicer, Krispel)
No scoring		First overtime period			05:28 - GW - Michael Coppola (Solberg, Bergin)
( 33 saves / 36 shots ) Stefan Drew		Goalie stats			Beau Erickson ( 31 saves / 33 shots )

March 9[16]	Sacred Heart		4 – 1		Connecticut	Milford Ice Pavilion
(Rodriguez, Berube) Adam DeJong - 04:22		First period			No scoring
(Knowlton, Berube) Adam DeJong - GW - 07:12		Second period			No scoring
(Tyll) Evan Mladenoff - 11:45 (Trapp) Alexandre Parent - EN - 18:48		Third period			05:03 - Chris Spicer (Miller)
( 32 saves / 33 shots ) Stefan Drew		Goalie stats			Beau Erickson ( 44 saves / 47 shots )

Sacred Heart won series 2–1

(5) Mercyhurst vs. (6) Canisius

March 7[17]	Mercyhurst		4 – 1		Canisius	Mercyhurst Ice Center
No Scoring		First period			No scoring
(Pierce, Eddy) Brett Robinson - 04:32 (Echtermach, Eddy) Chris Risi - GW - 10:07 (Robinson, Cottreau) Matt Pierce - PP - 11:41		Second period			No scoring
(Bremner, Graham) Mike Gurtler - 16:15		Third period			06:16 - Jason Weeks (Kasch, Heidinger)
( 41 saves / 42 shots ) Matt Lundin		Goalie stats			Andrew Loewen ( 31 saves / 35 shots )

March 8[18]	Mercyhurst		2 – 1	OT	Canisius	Mercyhurst Ice Center
(Terminesi, Fennell) Matt Pierce - PP - 10:24		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			18:21 - Vincent Scarsella (Jenks)
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
(Vansenbeld, Cottreau) Kerry Bowman - GW - 01:45		First overtime period			No scoring
( 28 saves / 29 shots ) Matt Lundin		Goalie stats			Andrew Loewen ( 32 saves / 34 shots )

Mercyhurst won series 2–0

Four vs. Five

(4) Sacred Heart vs. (5) Mercyhurst

March 14[19]	Sacred Heart		1 – 4		Mercyhurst	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
(Grimson, Trapp) Dave Jarman - PP - 09:13		First period			06:16 - PP - Matt Pierce (Terminesi, Robinson)
No scoring		Second period			00:41 - GW - Cullen Eddy (unassisted)
No scoring		Third period			10:14 - Ben Cottreau (Fennell) 17:30 - Chris Risi (Medernach, Lundin)
( 18 saves / 22 shots ) Stefan Drew		Goalie stats			Matt Lundin ( 38 saves / 39 shots )

Semifinals

(1) Army vs. (5) Mercyhurst

March 15[20]	Army		2 – 4		Mercyhurst	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
(Ryan, Ammon) Aaron Anderson - 14:23		First period			07:29 - PP - Matt Pierce (Fennell, Robinson) 15:24 - Mike Gurtler (Graham, Phillips)
(Omilusik, Flicek) Bryce Hollweg - PP - 01:39		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			00:25 - GW SH - Chris Risi (Vandenbeld) 05:41 - EA - Neil Graham (Bremner, Gurtler)
( 23 saves / 27 shots ) Josh Kassel		Goalie stats			Matt Lundin ( 36 saves / 38 shots )

(2) RIT vs. (3) Air Force

March 15[21]	RIT		0 – 5		Air Force	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
No Scoring		First period			06:32 - GW PP - Brent Olson (Frider, Charbonneau)
No scoring		Second period			05:49 - Mike Phillipich (Charbonneau, Schaffer) 10:04 - SH - Matt Fairchild (Nylander) 17:18 - PP - Brent Olson (Charbonneau, Hajner)
No scoring		Third period			10:34 - Matt Fairchild (Hajner, Mayra)
( 22 saves / 27 shots ) Louis Menard / ( 2 saves / 2 shots ) Jared DeMichiel		Goalie stats			Andrew Volkening ( 24 saves / 24 shots )

Championship

(3) Air Force vs. (5) Mercyhurst

March 16[22]	Air Force		5 – 4	2OT	Mercyhurst	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
(Phillipich, Flynn) Brent Olson - PP - 19:58		First period			No scoring
(Kozlak, Frider) Frank Schiavone - 13:23		Second period			17:11 - PP - Matt Pierce (Cottreau, Terminesi) 07:53 - PP - Steve Cameron (Pitt, Coccimiglio)
(Phillipich, Bertsch) Josh Schaffer - 09:50 (Olson, Kozlak) Josh Frider - 11:30		Third period			03:50 - Nick Vandenbeld (Risi) 11:09 - Brett Robinson (Pierce)
(Olson) Josh Frider - 00:56		Second overtime period			No scoring
( 49 saves / 53 shots ) Andrew Volkening		Goalie stats			Matt Lundin ( 42 saves / 47 shots )

Tournament awards

All-Tournament Team

• G Andrew Volkening (Air Force)
• D Matt Charbonneau (Air Force)
• D Jeff Terminesi (Mercyhurst)
• F Brent Olson* (Air Force)
• F Matt Pierce (Mercyhurst)
• F Chris Risi (Mercyhurst)

* Most Valuable Player(s)

[23]

References

1. "Air Force Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
2. "Frank Serratore Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
3. "Atlantic Hockey Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
4. "Men's Division I Hockey Standings: 2007-2008". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
5. "Atlantic Hockey Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
6. "Atlantic Hockey 2007-08 Week 24". USCHO.com. 2008-03-09. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
7. "Atlantic Hockey 2007-08 Week 25". USCHO.com. 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
8. "Army 4, American International 0". USCHO.com. 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
9. "Army 5, American International 2". USCHO.com. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
10. "RIT 5, Holy Cross 4". USCHO.com. 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
11. "RIT 5, Holy Cross 4". USCHO.com. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
12. "Air Force 9, Bentley 2". USCHO.com. 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
13. "Air Force 3, Bentley 1". USCHO.com. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
14. "Sacred Heart 6, Connecticut 5". USCHO.com. 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
15. "Connecticut 3, Sacred Heart 2". USCHO.com. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
16. "Sacred Heart 4, Connecticut 1". USCHO.com. 2008-03-09. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
17. "Mercyhurst 4, Canisius 1". USCHO.com. 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
18. "Mercyhurst 2, Canisius 1". USCHO.com. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
19. "Mercyhurst 4, Sacred Heart 1". USCHO.com. 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
20. "Mercyhurst 4, Army 2". USCHO.com. 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
21. "Air Force 5, RIT 0". USCHO.com. 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
22. "Air Force 5, Mercyhurst 4". USCHO.com. 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
23. "Atlantic Hockey Finals". Inside College Hockey. 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2014-08-10.