Yesterday USCHO.com's Todd D. Milewski took a look at the all-time series for each of the eight NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Tournament's First Round matchups. There are 50 games played in these eight all-time series, with five of those 50 being games between Boston College and Air Force.
The BC-Air Force series dates back to 1977 and is extremely lop-sided in favor of the Eagles. BC holds a 5-0-0 edge in the all-time series, with the last game coming in 2007 in the Mariucci Classic.
Here's the full series:
W - at Boston College 6, Air Force 1 (December 28, 1977)
W - Boston College 11, at Air Force 1 (January 5, 1979)
W - Boston College 14, at Air Force 7 (January 6, 1979)
W - Boston College 5, Air Force 1 (December 28, 1993 at Denver Cup)
W - Boston College 8, Air Force 2 (December 29, 2007 at Mariucci Classic)
BC's average margin of victory in those five games is 6.4 goals, with no game decided by less than four goals.
While the all-time BC-Air Force series hasn't been very competitive, Air Force and the Atlantic Hockey champ has more than held its own in the NCAAs. Air Force is making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons. The Falcons own just a 1-4 record all-time in the NCAAs, but their lone win was a 2-0 upset of no. 1 seed Michigan in the 2009 East Regional Semifinal.
L - Yale 2, Air Force 1 (OT) (March 25, 2011)
W - Air Force 2, Michigan 0 (March 27, 2009)
L - Vermont 3, Air Force 2 (2 OT) (March 28, 2009)
L - Miami 3, Air Force 2 (OT) (March 29, 2008)
L - Minnesota 4, Air Force 3 (March 24, 2007)
Other than the 2-0 win over Michigan, the program's lone Division I NCAA Tournament win, that's four OT sessions in four games, all one goal games. The Falcons have made a living giving no. 1 seeds fits in the NCAAs over the last six seasons, and I wouldn't expect anything less this weekend as Air Force goes up against BC.
Single elimination hockey. is. insane.