With four games remaining on the Kent State University A.C.H.A. D-I team’s schedule, the Golden Flashes have their sights set on trying to solidify their playoff position.

     As of January 23rd, Kent State holds the sixth position in the College Hockey Mid-America (CHMA) standings. The top six teams qualify for the postseason playoffs.

     All four of the remaining contests on the Golden Flashes’ slate are against CHMA foes. Kent State travels to Mercyhurst on Friday, January 28 and will host West Virginia University the following evening at the Kent State University Ice Arena.

     Kent State has not faced off against Mercyhurst this season and defeated West Virginia 3-1 in October.

     The regular season concludes for Kent State the weekend of February 11-12. Mercyhurst will travel to Kent for the rematch of tonight’s game on February 11th and the Golden Flashes will travel to Pittsburgh the next evening, attempting to even the season series against Duquesne.

     Duquesne skated to a 2-1 victory in Kent early in November.

     The remaining games against Mercyhurst and Duquesne are critical to the Golden Flashes playoff hopes as both teams narrowly trail Kent State in the standings.

     The Golden Flashes have seven points in the CHMA standings while Duquesne has earned five and Mercyhurst four.

     The league leader is the University of Pittsburgh with 21 points via 10 victories and an overtime loss.

     Kent State is a single point behind West Virginia University and three points behind Northeast Ohio rival John Carroll University.

     The Golden Flashes and Blue Streaks split a pair of one-goal games this season with each team winning on home ice.

     Junior Zach Zwierecki (Avon HS/Wooster oilers USPHL) leads Kent State in scoring with 29 points (17G, 12A), while Freshman Jonathan Gabriel (Team Ohio/Cleveland Barons) continues to produce for the Golden Flashes with 27 points (10G, 17A). Both have played in 24 games.

     Senior Jason Smith has tallied 25 points (9G, 16A) in 23 games and Junior Koby Greenberg (Cleveland Barons/Wooster Oilers) has added 24 points (10G, 14A) in 21 contests.

      As a team the Golden Flashes are +26 in scoring differential.

     Youngstown native and Freshman goaltender, Nick Beck (Cleveland Barons) owns a 3.11 Goals Against Average (GAA) and a .913 save percentage. Senior netminder Shea Spanier has a 3.22 GAA and .904 save percentage.

      Beck’s efforts have earned him a spot in the top 15 of rookie goaltenders in the A.C.H.A. and Gabriel is currently ninth in scoring among A.C.H.A. rookies.