First 500 fans get free UAH Hockey T-shirts
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015 – 7:07 p.m.
First 500 fans get free UAH Hockey trading cards
Kids 12-under get free gen. admission to both games
The Chargers begin the next step as they host Connecticut on Friday and Saturday to start the 2015-16 season.
The first face-off is at 7:07 p.m. both nights. It is UAH’s 31st varsity season, 37th overall, and third in the WCHA.
On Friday, the first 500 fans receive a free UAH hockey t-shirt courtesy of Bryant Bank, Damson Auto, Sodexo and Anglin, Reichmann, Snellgrove & Armstrong P.C. On Saturday, the first 500 fans receive the season’s first set of UAH hockey trading cards, sponsored by Wells Fargo. All season, kids 12 and under get free general admission courtesy of Huntsville International Airport.
All-time series: UAH leads 8-2-0, including a 6-2-0 record in Huntsville. The Chargers and Huskies last met in 2010 at the RPI Holiday Classic, with UAH taking a 6-2 victory. The last meetings at the Von Braun Center came in 2003, with UConn winning the first game 4-1 and UAH winning the second 6-0.
Max McHugh
Charger recap: UAH finished last season with an 8-26-4 record overall and a 7-20-1 record in the WCHA. The Chargers lost to Michigan Tech in the first round of the WCHA playoffs in Houghton.
UAH looks to continue steady improvement by raising its offensive output. The Chargers averaged 1.63 goals per game last season, which was ninth in the WCHA.
Max McHugh led UAH with 12 goals and 23 points last season in his WCHA All-Rookie freshman campaign. Brandon Parker was tops on the team in assists as a freshman defenseman with 14. Now-seniors Chad Brears (3-12-15) and Jack Prince (5-9-14) round out the Chargers’ top returning scorers.
The backbone of the Chargers has been junior goaltender Carmine Guerriero, who posted one of the best seasons in UAH history. Guerriero posted a 2.56 goals against average ana .928 save percentage as he started 29 of UAH’s 38 games last year.
About the Huskies: Last season, UConn went 10-19-7 overall and 7-11-4 in Hockey East. The Huskies were expected to finish last in their new league after transferring from Atlantic Hockey, but UConn finished ninth. The Huskies lost to New Hampshire in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs. Connecticut was picked to finish ninth again in the Hockey East coaches’ preseason poll.
The Huskies’ top returning scorer is senior Shaun Pauly, who had five goals and 15 assists for 20 points last season. Pauly is one of the few upperclassmen on the roster, as UConn has 18 sophomores and seven freshmen. One of those sophomores is Spencer Naas, who tallied 13 goals, including five game-winners, in 2014-15.
Between the pipes is junior Rob Nichols, who started 35 games last season with a 2.73 goals against average and .918 save percentage.
Connecticut has played an exhibition game last week, defeating Queens University 3-1.
UAH in season openers: The Chargers haven’t won a season-opening game since 2009, when UAH stunned No. 5 Notre Dame 3-2 in South Bend (also on Oct. 9). UAH is 11-17-2 all-time in openers, but 4-11-1 in the modern Division I era. UAH hasn’t won a home opener since 2008, but is 15-13-2 all-time starting at the VBC (6-9-1 in the modern Division I era).
Around the WCHA: All 10 teams are in action this weekend, with nine starting their regular season and Michigan Tech playing an exhibition.
All times Central. Games featuring WCHA teams at home can be seen on WCHA.tv.
Friday, Oct. 9
Connecticut at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State vs. #4 North Dakota, 3:30 p.m. (Ice Breaker at Portland, Maine)
#16 Bowling Green at Ohio State, 6 p.m.
Ferris State at Western Michigan, 6 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
#10 Omaha at #6 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at #2 Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 p.m.
St. Cloud State vs. Alaska, 8:07 p.m. (Kendall Hockey Classic at Anchorage)
Arizona State at Alaska Anchorage, 11:07 p.m. (Kendall Hockey Classic)
Laurentian at #15 Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m. (Exhibition)
Saturday, Oct. 10
Connecticut at UAH, 7:07 p.m.
Lake Superior State vs. Michigan State, 3:30 p.m. (Ice Breaker at Portland, Maine)
Western Michigan at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
Ohio State at #16 Bowling Green, 6:37 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
#10 Omaha at #6 Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
#2 Minnesota Duluth at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
Arizona State vs. Alaska, 7:07 p.m. (Kendall Hockey Classic at Anchorage)
St. Cloud State at Alaska Anchorage, 10:07 p.m. (Kendall Hockey Classic)
Laurentian at #15 Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m. (Exhibition)