2012 Atlantic Hockey Tournament

2012 Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
Dates	March 2–17, 2012
Teams	12
Finals site	Blue Cross Arena Rochester, New York
Champions	Air Force (5th title)
Winning coach	Frank Serratore (5th title)
MVP	(Air Force)
Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournaments ← 2011 2013 →

The 2012 Atlantic Hockey Tournament was the 9th Atlantic Hockey Tournament. It was played between March 2 and March 17, 2012 at campus locations and at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York, United States. Air Force won their 5th tournament and earned Atlantic Hockey's automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament after defeating RIT in the championship game.

Format[]

The tournament features four rounds of play. In the first round the fifth and twelfth, sixth and eleventh, seventh and tenth, and eighth and ninth seeds, as determined by the conference regular season standings, play a best-of-three series with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals. The top four teams from the conference regular season standings receive a bye to the quarterfinals. There, the first seed and lowest-ranked first-round winner, the second seed and second-lowest-ranked first-round winner, the third seed and second-highest-ranked first-round winner, and the fourth seed and the highest-ranked first-round winner play a best-of-three series, with the winners advancing to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the highest and lowest seeds and second-highest and second-lowest seeds play a single game, with the winner advancing to the championship game. The tournament champion received an automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Current standings[]

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

2011–12 Atlantic Hockey standings v t
	Conference record								Overall record
	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
#16 Air Force*	27	15	6	6	36	85	52		39	21	11	7	119	83
Niagara	27	14	6	7	35	80	53		37	17	11	9	101	81
RIT	27	14	7	6	34	72	52		39	20	13	6	99	86
Mercyhurst	27	15	8	4	34	79	68		40	20	16	4	111	116
Holy Cross	27	15	8	4	34	93	70		39	20	15	4	120	107
Bentley	27	13	7	7	33	81	59		40	16	16	8	114	109
Robert Morris	27	13	9	5	31	72	58		39	17	17	5	102	103
Connecticut	27	12	12	3	27	78	67		39	16	19	4	112	105
Canisius	27	10	14	3	23	54	74		36	10	22	4	66	111
American International	27	6	18	3	15	57	98		37	8	26	3	82	137
Sacred Heart	27	4	20	3	11	66	122		37	6	28	3	84	173
Army	27	3	19	5	11	52	96		34	4	23	7	65	120
Championship: Air Force 4, RIT 0 indicates conference regular season champion; * indicates conference tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Bracket[]

	First round March 2–4							Quarterfinals March 9–11							Semifinals March 16					Championship March 17
								1	Air Force	4	1	4			1	Air Force	5
	5	Holy Cross	3	5	—			8	Connecticut	3	3	3			4	Mercyhurst	2
	12	Army	2	2	—
								2	Niagara	3	2	—
	6	Bentley	5	2	5			7	Robert Morris	0	1	—								1	Air Force	4
	11	Sacred Heart	3	4	0															3	RIT	0
								3	RIT	1	5**	3
	7	Robert Morris	5	5	4*			6	Bentley	4	4	0
	10	American International	3	7	3
								4	Mercyhurst	2	1	3			2	Niagara	1
	8	Connecticut	4*	3	—			5	Holy Cross	1	3	1			3	RIT	2*
	9	Canisius	3	0	—

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Results[]

First round[]

(5) Holy Cross vs. (12) Army[]

March 2	Holy Cross		3 – 2		Army	Hart Center	Recap
(Davis, Stockton) - 05:48 (Daly, Stockton) - 17:05		First period			10:36 - (Lalor, Hull)
(Silvia, Atkins) - GW PP - 09:55		Second period			18:31 - (Day)
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
( 19 saves / 21 shots )		Goalie stats			( 36 saves / 39 shots )

March 3	Holy Cross		5 – 2		Army	Hart Center	Recap
(Nagy, Cox) - 08:15 (Vos) - 09:20		First period			No scoring
(unassisted) - GW PP - 08:56		Second period			No scoring
(Schmidt, Daly) - PP - 12:50 (Nagy) Kyle Fletcher - EN - 19:02		Third period			06:04 - PP - (Mau. Alvarez, Starczewski) 18:35 - (Starczewski, Colvin)
( 20 saves / 22 shots )		Goalie stats			( 36 saves / 40 shots )

Holy Cross won series 2–0

(6) Bentley vs. (11) Sacred Heart[]

March 2	Bentley		5 – 3		Sacred Heart	John A. Ryan Arena	Recap
(Switzer, Gensler) - 13:37 (Campanelli, Stonacek) - 17:50		First period			04:13 - (Gingera, George)
(Weinstein) - 09:55 (Gensler, Rickord) - GW - 14:23		Second period			03:10 - (Gingera)
(Bonnett, Switzer) - EN - 18:56		Third period			03:10 - (unassisted)
( 21 saves / 24 shots )		Goalie stats			( 37 saves / 41 shots )

March 3	Bentley		2 – 4		Sacred Heart	John A. Ryan Arena	Recap
(Switzer) - 01:35		First period			04:49 - (Filteau, Felice) 15:14 - (Rayner, Eng)
(Ledford, Breton) - 01:20		Second period			04:22 - GW - (George, Filteau)
No scoring		Third period			16:11 - (Gingera)
( 14 saves / 18 shots )		Goalie stats			( 31 saves / 33 shots )

March 4	Bentley		5 – 0		Sacred Heart	John A. Ryan Arena	Recap
(Weinstein, Switzer) - GW - 19:12		First period			No scoring
(unassisted) - 09:20 (Kubiak) - 18:02		Second period			No scoring
(unassisted) - 07:04 (Grieve, Gensler) - 18:02		Third period			No scoring
( 24 saves / 24 shots )		Goalie stats			( 31 saves / 36 shots )

Bentley won series 2–1

(7) Robert Morris vs. (10) American International[]

March 2	Robert Morris		5 – 3		American International	Island Sports Center	Recap
(Brace, Wydo) - PP - 16:08		First period			04:13 - PP - (Ceccacci, Arcibal)
No scoring		Second period			09:11 - (Penny, Markiewicz) 10:57 - (Sandor, Pleskach)
(Hinds, Lewis) - 05:40 (Lewis, Crichton) - PP - 10:59 (Crichton, Hinds) - GW - 18:56 (Lewis, Crichton) - 16:55		Third period			No scoring
( 27 saves / 30 shots )		Goalie stats			( 35 saves / 40 shots )

March 3	Robert Morris		5 – 7		American International	Island Sports Center	Recap
(Brace, Lewis) - 04:38 (Cramer) - 5:17 (Cartier, Lewis) - EA - 14:30		First period			00:42 - (Penny, Ceccacci) 05:55 - (Grasso, Ceccacci)
(unassisted) - 09:23 (Cartier) - 17:25		Second period			02:21 - (Sandor, Cassidy) 04:53 - (Popek, Ceccacci) 11:40 - (Puskar, Markiewicz) 15:52 - GW PP - (Arcibal, Sandor)
No scoring		Third period			09:35 - (Mele, Penny)
( 28 saves / 35 shots )		Goalie stats			( 42 saves / 47 shots )

March 4	Robert Morris		4 – 3	OT	American International	Island Sports Center	Recap
(Lyle) - 02:36		First period			No scoring
(Jacklin, Lewis) - PP - 08:01		Second period			No scoring
(unassisted) - PP - 03:34		Third period			05:55 - (Pleskach, Penny) 11:39 - (Ceccacci) 19:49 - EA - (Pleskach, Ceccacci)
(Cramer, Hervato) - GW - 02:13		First overtime period			No scoring
( 26 saves / 29 shots )		Goalie stats			( 54 saves / 58 shots )

Robert Morris won series 2–1

(8) Connecticut vs. (9) Canisius[]

March 2	Connecticut		4 – 3	OT	Canisius	Freitas Ice Forum	Recap
(Schneider, Ambrosie) - PP - 06:21 (Waterstradt, Ambrosie) - 10:02		First period			04:34 - (Sullivan)
(Poe, Gerke) Cole Schneider - 13:31		Second period			03:57 - (Day) 09:51 - (McCrank, Law)
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
(Ambrosie, Schneider) - 11:11		First overtime period			No scoring
( 36 saves / 39 shots )		Goalie stats			( 20 saves / 24 shots )

March 3	Connecticut		4 – 0		Canisius	Freitas Ice Forum	Recap
(Harris, Gerke) Cole Schneider - GW - 07:57 (Smith, Janosz) - 09:25		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(Sharib, Harris) - 14:58 (Ambrosie) - SH EN - 16:56		Third period			No scoring
( 26 saves / 26 shots )		Goalie stats			( 22 saves / 25 shots )

Connecticut won series 2–0

Quarterfinals[]

(1) Air Force vs. (8) Connecticut[]

March 9	Air Force		4 – 3		Connecticut	Cadet Ice Arena	Recap
(Weissenhofer, McKenzie) - 06:11		First period			03:15 - (unassisted)
(Holm, Weissenhofer) - 17:47 (Kirby, Thomas) - 18:10		Second period			06:30 - (Waterstradt, Sharib)
(Carew, Kirby) - GW - 11:13		Third period			14:56 - (Schneider)
( 8 saves / 11 shots ) / ( 10 saves / 10 shots )		Goalie stats			( 38 saves / 42 shots )

March 10	Air Force		1 – 3		Connecticut	Cadet Ice Arena	Recap
No Scoring		First period			14:56 - SH - (Jendras, Schneider)
(Timar, Michalke) - 06:35		Second period			00:48 - GW PP - (Schneider, Ambrosie)
No scoring		Third period			18:44 - EN - Cole Schneider (unassisted)
( 2 saves / 3 shots ) / ( 9 saves / 10 shots )		Goalie stats			( 46 saves / 47 shots )

March 11	Air Force		4 – 3		Connecticut	Cadet Ice Arena	Recap
(Weisgarber, McKenzie) - PP - 09:13		First period			15:44 - Cole Schneider (Gerke, Cooper)
(Mathis, Kleisinger) Tim Kirby - 14:11 (McKenzie) - 18:17		Second period			07:53 - Cole Schneider (Schneider, Ambrosie) 15:40 - PP - (Poe, Ranallo)
(Gunner) - GW - 03:21		Third period			No scoring
( 28 saves / 31 shots )		Goalie stats			( 33 saves / 37 shots )

Air Force won series 2–1

(2) Niagara vs. (7) Robert Morris[]

March 9	Niagara		3 – 0		Robert Morris	Dwyer Arena	Recap
No Scoring		First period			No scoring
(Rashid) - GW - 04:38 (Iuorio, Divjak) - 05:11		Second period			No scoring
(Kohls, Williams) Giancarlo Iuorio - EN - 19:59		Third period			No scoring
( 22 saves / 22 shots )		Goalie stats			( 29 saves / 31 shots )

March 10	Niagara		2 – 1		Robert Morris	Dwyer Arena	Recap
(Ryan, Iuorio) - 17:41		First period			16:26 - (unassisted)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(unassisted) - GW - 19:45		Third period			No scoring
( 26 saves / 27 shots )		Goalie stats			( 42 saves / 44 shots )

Niagara won series 2–0

(3) RIT vs. (6) Bentley[]

March 9	RIT		1 – 4		Bentley	Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena	Recap
(Burt, Haltigin) - 10:40		First period			04:47 - (Switzer, Campanelli)
No scoring		Second period			04:45 - GW - (Williams, Grieve)
No scoring		Third period			18:47 - EN - (Bonnett) 19:26 - EN - (Breton, Bonnett)
( 23 saves / 26 shots )		Goalie stats			( 46 saves / 47 shots )

March 10	RIT		5 – 4	2OT	Bentley	Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena	Recap
(Burt, Colavecchia) - 09:00 (Garbowsky, Lynch) - 16:09		First period			No scoring
(Burt, Colavecchia) - 11:02 (McReynolds) Matt Garbowsky - SH - 14:41		Second period			11:02 - (Rickord, Kubiak) 19:09 - (Maher, Weinstein)
No scoring		Third period			08:16 - (Maher, Gensler) 11:31 - (Switzer, Nudy)
(Smith) - GW - 01:23		Second overtime period			No scoring
( 42 saves / 46 shots )		Goalie stats			( 58 saves / 63 shots )

March 11	RIT		3 – 0		Bentley	Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena	Recap
(Cornacchia, McGowan) - GW - 05:35		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(Eckenswiller, Garbowsky) - 04:38 (unassisted) - 10:06		Third period			No scoring
( 24 saves / 24 shots )		Goalie stats			( 30 saves / 33 shots )

RIT won series 2–1

(4) Mercyhurst vs. (5) Holy Cross[]

March 9	Mercyhurst		2 – 1		Holy Cross	Mercyhurst Ice Center	Recap
(Nagtzaam, Blakey) - 04:59		First period			02:25 - PP - (Stockton, Silvia)
(Shiplo, Noble) - GW - 01:27		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
( 29 saves / 30 shots )		Goalie stats			( 15 saves / 17 shots )

March 10	Mercyhurst		1 – 3		Holy Cross	Mercyhurst Ice Center	Recap
No Scoring		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			14:18 - (Daly, Clune) 06:27 - SH GW - (unassisted)
(Elliott, Bodo) - 07:41		Third period			19:44 - EN - (unassisted)
( 41 saves / 43 shots )		Goalie stats			( 25 saves / 26 shots )

March 11	Mercyhurst		3 – 1		Holy Cross	Mercyhurst Ice Center	Recap
(O'Donoghue, Jones) - PP - 02:31		First period			09:57 - PP - (Cox, Schmidt)
(O'Donoghue, Jones) - GW - 13:27		Second period			No scoring
(O'Donoghue, Misiak) - 01:21		Third period			No scoring
( 41 saves / 42 shots )		Goalie stats			( 24 saves / 27 shots )

Mercyhurst won series 2–1

Semifinals[]

(1) Air Force vs. (4) Mercyhurst[]

March 16	Air Force		5 – 2		Mercyhurst	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
(Carew) - 01:40 (Carew, McKenzie) - PP - 13:28		First period			06:27 - (Zay, Misiak)
(De Laurell) - GW - 03:49		Second period			No scoring
(Kleisinger, Mathis) - 18:13 (Timar, Fabian) - EN - 19:10		Third period			02:01 - (Chiasson)
( 23 saves / 25 shots )		Goalie stats			( 37 saves / 41 shots )

(2) Niagara vs. (3) RIT[]

March 16	Niagara		1 – 2	OT	RIT	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
No Scoring		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
(unassisted) - 14:40		Third period			03:25 - Matt Garbowsky (McReynolds)
No scoring		First overtime period			02:57 - GW - (Eckenswiller, McGowan)
( 36 saves / 38 shots )		Goalie stats			( 24 saves / 25 shots )

Championship[]

(1) Air Force vs. (3) RIT[]

March 19	Air Force		4 – 0		RIT	Blue Cross Arena	Recap
(Kirby, Weisgarber) - GW PP - 15:15 (Demers, McKenzie) - 16:25		First period			No scoring
(Thomas, Kleisinger) - 09:23		Second period			No scoring
(Weisgarber) - EN - 19:53		Third period			No scoring
( 34 saves / 34 shots )		Goalie stats			( 23 saves / 27 shots )

Tournament awards[]

All-Tournament Team[]

• G * (Air Force)
• D Tim Kirby (Air Force)
• D (Air Force)
• F (RIT)
• F (Air Force)
• F (Air Force)

* Most Valuable Player(s)^[1]

^[2]

References[]