Second chances aren’t a given, but for Air Force, especially its seniors, this one is particularly sweet.
The Falcons (18-13-5) will travel to Army West Point (14-13-6) this weekend for an Atlantic Hockey Conference quarterfinal series that should be as hotly contested as any playoff matchup in the nation. Any time the service academies get together, it’s intense, but given the air of finality that hangs over this one, expect that go up a notch or several. Each team has eight seniors, and with military service awaiting upon graduation, all 16 players know these could be the final games of their hockey careers.
“With the group of seniors we have, we want to leave a legacy and this is our final chapter,” Falcons captain Dylan Abood said. “We want to make the most of that. We’re not putting any extra pressure on ourselves. It’s business as usual. We’ll take it a day at time and focus on Friday. Then we’ll move forward from there.
“Being a senior, it’s made me make the most of every day with these guys.”
There is a sense of some unfinished business for the Falcons, who were swept at Cadet Arena by the Black Knights on Nov. 3-4.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a quarterfinal playoff series in my life, having the chance to go into their building,” Abood said. “Earlier this year they came into our building and swept us. It left a sour taste in my mouth, especially not knowing if I’d have a chance to get them back in my senior year. The way things worked out I couldn’t be more excited about the situation we’re in.”
That sweep at the hands of the Black Knights launched a downward spiral for the Falcons that saw them go 2-7-2 to close the first half after a 6-1-1 start that kept them in the rankings. Part of that plunge was a result of injuries, which have bedeviled the Falcons most of the season, but were really taking a toll by the midpoint of the first half.
Already down centers Evan Feno (for the season) and Tyler Ledford, defenseman Jonathan Kopacka and wing Ben Kucera, Air Force lost another center, Kyle Haak in the first game of that November series, a 3-2 loss. Haak and Feno are juniors but the other three are seniors, and they feel as if they have a new lease on their hockey lives.
“I’m obviously really excited,” Ledford said. “That whole ceremony for the seniors after the game when they do the alma maters, the songs where the seniors stand at the red line. It was just weird there being in a suit and not being able to play in a game.
“I did believe I wasn’t going to be able to have this opportunity (to play Army) again. I’m really excited to play them again and go back there – I didn’t think I’d get to play at West Point again either. It’s a great place to play, a great environment.”
Not only are the Falcons healthier this time around, but they regained their mojo with a 10-3-2 run to close the season.
“We’re definitely a completely different team, having everybody healthy but also the way that we’re playing right now,” Abood said. “We’re 10-3-2 since the break and we’ve played some really good hockey. We’ve had some ups and downs but coming into the playoffs right now, the group that we have is full of confidence.”
Two huge reasons for the second-half run are improved defensive play, particularly on the penalty kill, which was surprisingly pedestrian in the first half.
As it stands now, the Falcons sit 13th in PK (83.7 percent) and have allowed just 86 goals in 36 games (2.39 per game). Defense also is Army’s forte as the Black Knights have given up 85 goals in 33 games (2.58), and their penalty kill is even better at 87.8 percent (third).
“The penalty kill and team defense, those are two things we take a lot of pride in,” Abood said. “We struggled with in the first half, and we’ve definitely turned it around in the second half. We’ve gotten into our grove on the penalty kill, other than the (third) Canisius game (which AFA still won 7-4). Same thing with defense, we’ve tightened up and given up fewer big chances.”
Or as Falcons coach Frank Serratore often says, the Falcons haven’t dropped as many bombs.
When they have, though, junior goaltender Billy Christopoulos has been there to do what he’s done all season.
“Bill has been outstanding all year, especially in the second half,” Abood said. “He’s given us a chance to win every night. He’s made saves he’s expected to make, and he’s made huge saves. He’s been our best player no question about that. That’s important to have going into playoffs, obviously you want your goalie to be playing his best.”
Christopoulos has been remarkably consistent en route to posting a 2.24 GAA and a .915 save percentage. He has allowed four or five goals a total of four times in 36 starts. He has three shutouts and has allowed just one goal seven other times. In the other 22 games, it’s two or three goals against. That’s it.
“We honestly saw this coming. We saw it all last year in practice when (Shane) Starrett was playing,” Ledford said. “Bill’s our rock. He’s our backbone. We’re so fortunate to have him. The way he prepares, he’s the hardest worker out there and he just shows it with how consistent he is. He’s our MVP.”
One of the Black Knights’ seniors, Cole Bruns, has been just as good, going 11-9-3 with a 2.39 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Add it up, it would be unwise to expect goal fests in this series.
“They’re a good team and they work so hard,” Ledford said. “The message for our guys has been we’ve got to match their intensity. That’s what they bring, that’s what we need to bring as well.”
This is a win-or-go-home series in every sense, and that only adds to its intrigue. And to think the lasting memory for Air Force’s seniors of Army could have been that November sweep.
©First Line Editorial 2017-18
