Earlier this month The Flight Path surveyed the Air Force hockey team about various player characteristics.
Twenty-five of the 30 players on the roster responded (83 percent) through an online survey. All results were anonymous. I’d like to thank the AFA players for taking the time to take the survey.
I’d also like to thank the following sponsors for helping make this possible:
Kostoff and Co. at Nova Home Loans – The Right Loan, The Right Lender
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What follows is third of five parts of the survey, along some accompanying analysis.
Part 3: Passing, vision, hockey sense and face-offs
11 – Which player is the best passer in traffic?
Tyler Ledford – 8 (32 percent)
Brady Tomlak – 4 (16 percent)
Kyle Haak and Matt Koch – 3 (12 percent)
Jordan Himley – 2 (8 percent)
Evan Feno, Kyle Mackey, Alex Mehnert, Zazk Mirageas and Matt Serratore each received a vote.
Behind the numbers: Ten players received consideration, but the top of the list shows how reliant on centers the Falcons can be to initiate plays in the offensive zone and to escape trouble in the D zone.
12- Which player executes the best break-out passes?
Matt Koch – 8 (32 percent)
Phil Boje, Jonathan Kopacka, Alex Mehnert and Zach Mirageas – 3 (12 percent)
Dylan Abood and Dan Bailey – 2 (8 percent)
Kyle Mackey received a vote.
Behind the numbers: It’s imperative for a Falcons defenseman to have a front side to his game, and so it follows that most defensemen have this tool in their arsenal. Given how much AFA prides itself on opponents having a one-and-done in its D zone, this is a critical skill.
13 – Which player has the best overall vision?
Tyler Ledford – 8 (32 percent)
Matt Koch – 6 (24 percent)
Evan Feno, Kyle Haak and Brady Tomlak – 2 (8 percent)
Jordan Himley, Shawn Knowlton, Ben Kucera, Alex Mehert and Matt Pulver each received a vote.
Behind the numbers: Yet another category with 10 players named, including a couple of freshmen. All of the top Falcons centers have this, and when they needed fill-ins, Kucera and Pulver were two players they turned to. Koch’s inclusion and ranking here speaks to the wide skill set the defenseman possesses.
14 – Which player has the best overall hockey sense?
Evan Feno – 6 (24 percent)
Kyle Haak – 5 (20 percent)
Tyler Ledford and Matt Serratore – 3 (12 percent)
Matt Koch 2 – (8 percent)
Erik Baskin, Jordan Himley, Shawn Knowlton, Zack Mirageas, Matt Pulver and Brady Tomlak each received a vote.
Behind the numbers: The top four all have missed time due to injuries, and that has hurt the penalty kill as much as anything. Knowing where to be – and when – is essential for the Falcons’ game plan to succeed. Given the Academy’s academic demands it should come as no surprise there are many players (10) gifted in this area.
15 – Which player most consistently wins important face-offs?
Brady Tomlak – 18 (72 percent)
Evan Feno and Kyle Haak – 2 (8 percent)
Dan Bailey, Erich Jaeger and Matt Pulver each received a vote.
Behind the numbers: Wonder why the Falcons struggled in this area in the first half? The top three on the list all missed significant time, and Feno will end up playing part of one game all season because of a knee injury. The hope is Haak and Tomlak are back after Christmas.
Previously
Part 2: Shooting and stick handling
Coming up:
Part 4: Defense, positioning, leadership
Part 5: Breaking down the numbers
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Copyright First Line Editorial 2017
