As a freshman, Fairchild scored 10 of his 15 points
in Minnesota's first 15 games. |
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Key Statistics: Fairchild
enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, doubling his goal
scoring and tripling his assist output. His 11 goals
ranked fourth on the team and 21st in Atlantic Hockey.
His 18 assists ranked sixth on the team and 17th in
the league – eight of his helpers came in non-league
action. Fairchild knocked in two power-play goals and
three short-handed tallies. He only had six assists
as a freshman, but two of them came in Air Force's near
upset of Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament. In his final
year of juniors, with the Walpole Stars of the Eastern
Junior Hockey League, he posted eight goals and 28 assists.
What He Does: When you
talk about Matt Fairchild, you're talking about speed.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger beats defenders on the
fly, and he’s also learning to shift gears to
confound their pursuit — much like his favorite
player, Alexander Ovechkin. Fairchild, who turns 23
in mid-December, is always working hard, and doesn't
make many mistakes on the ice.
The Bigger Picture: Air
Force's top line will have Fairchild on the left, Derrick
Burnett on the right and Jeff Hajner in the middle –
the unit has good chemistry and each player complements
the others. Air Force coach Frank Serratore said fans
got to see a glimpse of what Fairchild can become with
his brilliant play against Colorado College and the
playoff win over Rochester Institute of Technology –
Serratore says if Fairchild can play like that every
night, watch out. Serratore says Fairchild is a low-maintenance
player, no wonder given he was a two-time captain in
both high school hockey and in juniors.
Air Force coach Frank Serratore
on Fairchild: "If I was looking for the
perfect cadet and the perfect student-athlete, Matt
Fairchild would exemplify everything. I mean, this kid
has it all. He has movie star looks. He is a great teammate.
The young man has no weakness on his resume."
— Ken McMillan
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