They’re two of a very unique kind, but that is just one of many layers of intrigue to this season’s first installment of the Air Force-Army West Point college hockey rivalry, which runs Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday at 7:35 p.m. at Cadet Arena.
Most prognosticators again expect the No. 19 Falcons and the Black Knights to be at or near the top of the heap in Atlantic Hockey Conference at the end of the season.
So there’s the conference and potential NCAA Tournament implications at stake. That’s one layer.
“These are obviously big games now that we’re in the same league,” Army West Point coach Brian Riley said. “It was a little different when we weren’t in a league with each other.
“You want to get some points when you play each other and rivalry takes care of itself. There is always a great atmosphere in either building. It’s hard to win in this league, it’s hard to win at Air Force.”
There’s also the fact these are the only two United States service academies that play Division I hockey. Military pride anyone? That’s another layer.
“Is it the best rivalry in college hockey? That’s debatable,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “Is it the most special? I think so.
“These teams fight tooth and nail. They go at it as hard as two teams can. Think of rivalries like Denver and Colorado College or BU and BC or Michigan and Michigan State – they all respect each other but there is a deep-seated dislike.
“Our teams respect each other, period. They play games that are borderline violent, then they salute the crowd, sing the schools’ fight songs for the seniors and have a meal together.”
Another layer has been added the past two seasons, and that’s an Air Force-Army hockey series bookending the academies’ football game. Last year it was at West Point. Saturday afternoon it will be at Falcon Stadium. That heightens the attention inside and outside of the military community.
Army captain Tyler Pham
And finally, each school has a senior captain – from Colorado – who has been nominated for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award for 2017-18 – Dylan Abood for the Falcons and Tyler Pham for the Black Knights. Then factor in the duo played together for the Colorado Thunderbirds U18 team and have maintained a solid friendship over the years and you have yet another layer.
Only 20 seniors are nominated for the Senior CLASS Award (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School), and they must be Division I athletes who have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The award encourages student-athletes to use their platform to make a positive impact in all of their realms and Abood and Pham are exemplary on and off the ice.
AFA captain Dylan Abood
Abood is a two-time captain for the Falcons, a heart-and-soul leader who has received multiple academic honors every year he’s been at the Academy. He’s also an active volunteer. He captained the T-Birds team he and Pham played on.
“We were good buddies on that team,” Pham said. “He was the captain and such a hard worker, a great guy to be around in the locker room. I can’t say enough good things about him back when we played together.
“After that we parted ways a little bit (for junior), and now here we are again. … After the little get together after the game on Saturday we always say hi to each other. We’ll text each other here and there when he comes to West Point or I come here.”
Pham is wearing a letter for the third season in a row (he was an assistant the past two seasons) for the Black Knights, and like Abood he’s made multiple appearances on AHC’s all-academic team. Whereas Abood’s forte is preventing goals, Pham is proficient at piling up points. He’s a lock to surpass 20 every season, and last season he nearly hit 30. He’s improved his point total every season at West Point. That dynamic makes for interesting matchups on the ice.
“It’s fun to play against Tyler,” Abood said. “You know when his line is on the ice.
“Obviously as a service academy rivalry, it’s a whole another level. Their team has continued to get better. It’s always intense, and always a physical battle, but now it’s a top-notch rivalry.”
The series started with two games in St. Petersburg, Fla., of all places in 1969 – the first Air Force’s 50 seasons of hockey. Army swept the first two games and counts them as victories, while Air Force categorized them as exhibitions and has not included them that season’s record. So the Falcons either lead the overall series 41-21-6 or 41-23-6, depending on which record book you cite.
They met again twice each in 1976 and ’77 before a 12-year break. The schools resumed playing in October 1989 and have met every season since. They have been members of Atlantic Hockey since the 2006-07 season.
No matter how many ice bags are put on alert after the teams play, the players keep the bigger picture in mind, Abood said.
“Once the fame is all over, when hockey is all said and done, we’re definitely on the same side,” the Falcons senior said. “We like to battle each other, the competitive spirit is high, but we know when it comes to the real world we’re going to graduate and serve our country alongside these guys.
“That’s the special bond you’re not going to see anywhere else but at service academies. Both sides understand the importance and impact of that. And we enjoy that moment.”
Or as Pham said, “We can hate each other for 60 minutes, but that’s where it ends. We know what Air Force players go through, and they know what Army players go through. You won’t find that anywhere else in college hockey.”
The Flight Path breaks down this weekend’s matchup here
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