Something is stirring for Air Force’s hockey team late in the season, and that hasn’t been good news for the Falcons’ recent opponents.
It’s something St. Cloud State will learn more about it when it plays Air Force in an NCAA Tournament West Regional opener on Friday (2 p.m., ESPNU).
MORE: An early look at the Air Force – St. Cloud State matchup
Two thirds of the Falcons’ once-lethal second line – senior right wing Jordan Himley and junior center Kyle Haak – have been revitalized during the team’s recent run back to the NCAAs.
Kyle Haak
A season ago, they were a two-man wrecking crew for the Falcons, piling up 70 points in 41 games. Himley had 22 goals among his team-high 37 points and was an All-Atlantic Hockey Conference pick. Haak had 33 points and played like a man possessed in the NCAA East Regional – making the all-region team after scoring twice against Western Michigan and setting up a goal in a one-goal loss to Harvard in the elite eight.
This season has been another story. A look at the Falcons’ stats entering a late January vs. Niagara saw Haak sitting on two points in the first 18 games he’d played in. At the same point Himley had 14 points in 23 games. Only the third member of the line, junior Matt Serratore, was playing anywhere near expectations with 12 points in 18 games.
Injuries have been part of the problem, as they have been for nearly all of their teammates (just two Falcons – forward Erik Baskin and goaltender Billy Christopoulos have played every game).
Haak has missed 14 games because of knee and upper body injuries. Nine of those came during the final nine games of the first half when the Falcons were down four centers at one point.
“Kyle Haak was playing well for us last year,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “His success comes when he has a chip on his shoulder. He’s got to play with something to prove. He made all-tournament team in the East Regional last year.”
Jordan Himley
Himley missed four games and part of a fifth in late January because of a knee injury, and then missed two more during the Army West Point AHC quarterfinal series because of an ankle injury.
Whether they’re 100 percent or not, they’re regaining their form of a season ago. While the Falcons have gone 14-4-2 down the stretch, including a 7-1-1 run entering the NCAA Tournament, the duo has played its best hockey of the season.
Haak has nine points in his past 11 games, including five of his six goals.
“He wasn’t playing with that nasty edge. Then he got hurt,” Serratore said. “He’s regained that in the past three weeks to a month. He’s playing with an attitude, and he has to do that.”
If Haak is McNasty, then Himley, who has eight points in his past seven games, including four of his 10 goals, is McFilthy, as in the moves he can make with the puck on his stick.
“Himmer’s just one of those offensive guys who can skate and shoot. He’s skilled to the gils,” the coach said. “He’s one of those guys, he’s got to be in the right place, and when he’s in the right place he’s a game-changer.
“He struggled for a while finding that place, finding that grove, finding that balance between offense and defense and doing what he does.”
The overall stats (Haak sits at 11 points in 27 games and Himley has 22 in 35) don’t jump off the page, but they’re massive upgrades from even a month ago. And combined with Matt Serratore’s 20 it gives the line 53 points. Its resurgence is a key reason for the Falcons’ push right back into the NCAA field.
“Both those guys have come back and that’s been a huge positive for us,” Serratore concluded.
It also gives the Falcons a second line with more than 50 points entering the tournament (the top line of Baskin, Evan Giesler and Tyler Ledford has 71), making AFA a bit more challenging to check.
While defense, tenacity and depth long have been Falcons hallmarks, having additional scoring punch at this time of the year certainly won’t hurt.
©First Line Editorial 2017-18
