College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

If Colorado College scores home ice for the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs, tickets will be available for purchase immediately after the game in which it clinches.

The No. 19 Tigers (16-14-2, 13-12-1 WCHA) need one win in a season-ending series this weekend against Michigan Tech (14-16-4, 11-11-4) to earn home ice for the 17th time in the past 19 years. They could still receive home ice if they went 0-0-2, 0-1-1 or 0-2, but only if Nebraska-Omaha, which is hosting No. 9 Denver, and St. Cloud State, hosting No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth, stumble as well. They’re tied for fifth place in the WCHA.

More than 1,000 seats for a March 9-11 best-of-three series – the winner advances to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn. – would go on sale Friday night at the World Arena box office, through TicketsWest and by calling 719-576-2626 if CC wins Friday. And they would go on sale Saturday night if CC doesn’t clinch until Saturday. The World Arena box office opens at 10 a.m. Saturday but is closed Sunday.

Prices won’t increase from the regular season, in which tickets ranged from $9 to $16.50 for the upper deck and from $18 to $35 for the lower bowl. The seats already were part of the package for CC season-ticket holders. If a third game of the series is necessary, those tickets wouldn’t go on sale until after the second game. Times have been set – 7:37 p.m. for the March 9 opener and 7:07 p.m. for the March 10-11 second and third games.

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

Colorado College has notched a verbal commitment from Hunter Fejes, a Minnesota high school senior left wing who will join the Tigers next season, bringing an attractive mix of strength, toughness and skating ability, along with a work ethic that has been praised.

Fejes, 17, of Anchorage, Alaska, leads Shattuck-St. Mary’s with 33 goals, and he has 36 assists, in 49 games. He’s still growing into his 6-foot-1, 191-pound frame, and he boasts more than enough skills to hold his own in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, as well as the startup National Collegiate Hockey Conference when CC makes the switch in the 2013-14 season. Chances are Fejes will be selected in the NHL draft in June.

COLORADO COLLEGE RECRUITS

Garrett Cecere, defenseman, Janesville Jets (NAHL)

Hunter Fejes, left wing, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota H.S.)

Matt Hansen, right wing, Austin Bruins (NAHL)

Christian Heil, center, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Michael King, defenseman, Westside Warriors (BCHL)

Daniel Labosky, left wing, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Minnesota H.S.)

Duggie Lagrone, defenseman, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

Gustav Olofsson, defenseman, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)

Alex Roos, right wing, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Jaccob Slavin, defenseman, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

Colorado College dropped three places Monday to 19th in the USCHO.com poll, and it’s still not ranked in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll after a pair of losses last weekend at Minnesota-Duluth that hurt its chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

Boston College overtook the top spot in both polls, in which Minnesota-Duluth is second and Ferris State is third, followed by Boston University, Minnesota, Michigan, Union and Massachusetts-Lowell. Denver ranks ninth in the USCHO.com poll and 10th in the USA Today poll, while North Dakota ranks 14th in the USCHO.com poll and 15th in the USA Today poll. Air Force is 20th in the USCHO.com poll, and it received a vote in the USA Today Poll. The Inside College Hockey rankings put CC at 17th – down three spots.

A loser in five of the past six games, CC (16-14-2, 13-12-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) is tied for fifth in the WCHA, needing one win in a season-ending series this weekend against Michigan Tech (14-16-4, 11-11-4) to claim home ice for the March 9-11 best-of-three first round of the WCHA playoffs. Since the Tigers are 21st in the PairWise rankings, they might need to win the WCHA Final Five next month in St. Paul, Minn., to qualify for the NCAA Tournament – they’ll need at least one or two victories in St. Paul.

The good news for CC is that it has a pretty healthy lineup. Right wing Dakota Eveland (upper body) and left wing Michael Morin (right ankle) are both done for the season, and defenseman Arthur Bidwill should return this weekend from an upper-body injury that he suffered Friday, benefiting from additional rest Monday, as the Tigers didn’t practice.

“We have two games to right the ship,” CC center David Civitarese said, adding that the increased sense of urgency against Michigan Tech “turns it into a new season. And if we can build some momentum, we can turn this into a positive. It has to happen quickly.”

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

Joe Howe was battered in goal, and No. 16 Colorado College allowed four unanswered scores Saturday in a 5-2 defeat against No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth at Amsoil Arena, as the Tigers lost for the fifth time in six games.

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES AND A FAN CHAT.

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

DULUTH, Minn. – Joe Howe (above) will start in goal Saturday for No. 16 Colorado College, as Josh Thorimbert struggled again Friday in a 4-3 overtime defeat against No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth. In the third defensive pairing, Peter Stoykewych takes the spot of Arthur Bidwill, who suffered an apparent upper-body injury Friday, and he’ll skate with Mike Boivin. On a third line centered by David Civitarese, Tim Hall replaces Archie Skalbeck at left wing, and Jordan DiGiando takes the center position previously held by Hall on the fourth line.

FORWARDS

1. LW Jaden Schwartz, C Rylan Schwartz, RW William Rapuzzi

2. LW Alexander Krushelnyski, C Nick Dineen, RW Scott Winkler

3. LW Tim Hall, C David Civitarese, RW Jeff Collett

4. LW Scott Wamsganz, C Jordan DiGiando, RW Andrew Hamburg

DEFENSEMEN

1. LD Gabe Guentzel, RD Joe Marciano

2. LD Aaron Harstad, RD Eamonn McDermott

3. LD Peter Stoykewych, RD Mike Boivin

GOALTENDERS

1. Joe Howe

2. Josh Thorimbert

HEALTHY SCRATCHES

LW Archie Skalbeck

INJURED

D Arthur Bidwill (upper body)

RW Dakota Eveland (upper body)

LW Michael Morin (right ankle)

DID NOT TRAVEL

D Ted Behrend

G Courtney Lockwood

RW Charlie Taft

D Ian Young

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

Colorado College stormed back from a 3-0 deficit Friday before J.T. Brown notched the game-winner three minutes into overtime, as the No. 16 Tigers suffered a 4-3 loss against No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth at Amsoil Arena.

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES AND A FAN CHAT.

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

DULUTH, Minn. – Center Rylan Schwartz (above) and left wing Jaden Schwartz will both play Friday for No. 16 Colorado College at No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, their status questionable throughout the week because of the flu that limited Rylan and upper-body soreness that hampered Jaden. Scott Winkler returns to his right wing position on the second line, with center Nick Dineen, and right wing Jeff Collett is now on a third line centered by David Civitarese, and right wing Andrew Hamburg is on a fourth line centered by Tim Hall. It’s the third straight game in which defenseman Peter Stoykewych has been scratched. Also, Minnesota-Duluth right wing J.T. Brown will dress following surgery on a broken finger.

FORWARDS

1. LW Jaden Schwartz, C Rylan Schwartz, RW William Rapuzzi

2. LW Alexander Krushelnyski, C Nick Dineen, RW Scott Winkler

3. LW Archie Skalbeck, C David Civitarese, RW Jeff Collett

4. LW Scott Wamsganz, C Tim Hall, RW Andrew Hamburg

DEFENSEMEN

1. LD Gabe Guentzel, RD Joe Marciano

2. LD Aaron Harstad, RD Eamonn McDermott

3. LD Mike Boivin, RD Arthur Bidwill

GOALTENDERS

1. Josh Thorimbert

2. Joe Howe

HEALTHY SCRATCHES

C Jordan DiGiando

D Peter Stoykewych

INJURED

RW Dakota Eveland (upper body)

LW Michael Morin (right ankle)

DID NOT TRAVEL

D Ted Behrend

G Courtney Lockwood

RW Charlie Taft

D Ian Young

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.

DULUTH, Minn. – If playing at World Arena is like swimming in an ocean, skating at Amsoil Arena (above) is the equivalent of taking a dip in a pond. And Colorado College needs to transition from its Olympic-size ice sheet to the NHL-size surface at Minnesota-Duluth.

The No. 16 Tigers (16-12-2, 13-10-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) will make their Amsoil Arena debut Friday against No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, which is 10-5-1 in the $80 million facility that opened last season. They practiced all week on the NHL sheet in the Ice Hall at World Arena, and 6,726-seat Amsoil Arena looks even smaller in person, featuring tight, rounded corners and very little space to maneuver behind the goals.

“It’s truly one of the smaller sheets in the league,” CC coach Scott Owens said Thursday after his team took a 160-mile bus ride from Minneapolis to Duluth, a result of a missed flight out of Denver because of a snowstorm that jammed traffic along Interstate 25.

With a compressed surface, when CC gets on the power play, it will “try to shoot a little more from the blue line,” Owens said. “There isn’t all the room there is at World Arena to work out of the corner. Just try to be a little bit more aggressive when we’re shooting.” The Tigers rearranged their second power-play unit this week in practice, and they’ve had left wings Alexander Krushelnyski and Archie Skalbeck in center Rylan Schwartz’s spot in the top group – merely as a precaution in case Schwartz isn’t healthy enough to dress.

Schwartz has been on antibiotics since Tuesday in slowly recovering from the flu that has limited his practice time, and left wing Jaden Schwartz is still hampered by upper-body soreness following a home split last weekend against Nebraska-Omaha. Rylan Schwartz “looks better,” Owens said, “so we’ll see how he feels. … He didn’t look bad. For an 11-hour travel day, he held up pretty good.” He added, “I think, in my heart of hearts, they’re both going to play. … By the time the puck drops, they should be good to go.”

CC is 7-7 on the road, having posted sweeps at Minnesota State-Mankato and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; splits at No. 6 Minnesota, No. 9 Denver and Nebraska-Omaha; and a pair of losses at No. 14 North Dakota and Bemidji State. It must minimize its mistakes, “especially with a team that’s this good offensively,” Owens said, well aware of the fact Minnesota-Duluth (20-7-5, 14-6-4) is averaging 3.72 goals, the most in the country.

The keys to winning? “Kind of go about our business,” Owens said. “Take care of things. It would help if you can get on top. But keep the crowd out of it as much as you can.”

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/collegehockey. For the CC blog, visit http://collegehockey.freedomblogging.com.