Air Force has a strong group of seniors – three of whom were named co-captains this week – for the second season in a row, and those players will play a crucial role in the Falcons’ hockey success this season.

That’s how it usually seems to be at the Academy, where there is a steady progression of grooming players during their four years so they’re ready for big-time roles. It’s especially been the case lately as the program has seven NCAA appearances in the past 12 seasons, including elite appearances in the past two seasons.

As much as any program, the Falcons rely on a collective effort, but there still are some key players to any success they hope to have. Here is a closer look at some of them.

2017-18 SEASON PREVIEW SERIES

Part 1: Breaking down Air Force’s schedule

Part 2: Air Force’s roster by the numbers

Part 4: Emerging players for the Falcons

Billy Christopoulos

Of course the senior goaltender is important, but his progress during his first full season as a starter – as much as anything – offers hope that he will be among the top goalies on college hockey this season.

He’s on the Mike Richter Award watch list, one of three Atlantic Hockey goalies so recognized. And no wonder, Christopoulos was solid all last season and absolutely masterful down the stretch last spring. When it was all said and done, he’d won 23 games (third in the nation) and played the most minutes of any goalie in Division I (2,534). He was the MVP of the AHC Final Four and a member of the NCAA Tournament All-West Regional team.

He really picked up steam in 2018 – allowing just 10 goals in seven January games and picking up his first shutout. He won five more games in February, added two more shutouts and lifted the Falcons from ninth place into a tie for third.

That was just a warm-up for March, when he gave up just one goal in the final two games at Army West Point in the AHC quarterfinals then allowed one goal on 60 shots in the AHC final four. He kicked off the NCAA Tournament by stopping 39 of 40 shots in the biggest upset in program history, a 4-1 victory against No. 1 St. Cloud State.

“Billy’s the obvious one,” assistant coach Joe Doyle said. “And we think he’ll be one of the best goalies in the country again this season.

Defensemen Matt Koch and Zack Mirageas

Mirageas was the Falcons’ top freshman a season ago, sliding almost seemlessly into their defense. Only Christopoulos, graduated Erik Baskin and senior Evan Giesler played more than his 41 games, and he debuted with 17 points and played in both special teams situations.

Koch, who is one of the team’s three captains, led the Falcons’ blue liners in scoring with 18 points (the second season in a row he hit that mark), and like Mirageas played in every situation.

“You could make a case they were our top pair in the NCAA Tournament,” Doyle said. “Koch with his experience will play a lot in every situation. He’ll be our top power-play unit’s quarterback and one of the top two penalty killers. He not only wants it, but he’s prepared for it.

“Mirageas played a bigger role in the second half and we think he’s ready for more.”

And don’t sleep on senior defenseman Dan Bailey, who has a 16-point season to his credit, and offers the versatility of being able to play center proficiently as well.

A quartet of senior forwards

Wings Evan Giesler (23 points) and Matt Serratore (22) are the Falcons’ top two returning scorers and both will join Koch as serving as co-captains this season. Centers Kyle Haak and Evan Feno battled injuries but scored 33 and 25 points, respectively as sophomores. That is a good foundation for a solid top six.

“Giesler, Serratore and Haak had very good years, and we expect them to take steps into even bigger, more productive years. That’s the cycle of our teams,” Doyle said. “Feno was poised for a breakout junior year. We expect him to have a big-time year.”

The Falcons felt the loss of the do-it-all Feno the most. He suffered a torn ACL in the first game of the regular season. A fast, intense, every-situation

player, Feno’s back at 100 percent and will team up with Giesler, another every-situation player who in addition to his skill set is one of the Falcons’ top hitters. Giesler had 29 points (11 goals) as a sophomore, so there is more top end there, too.

Haak, who missed 14 games due to a variety of injuries last season, dropped to 12 points but he was excellent down the stretch and made the AHC all-tournament team, too. Serratore will start the season on his left side, and he is much like Feno in that he plays every shift with pace and skill and can bury the puck. His 14 goals were second on the team a season ago.

All four can – and often do – play in every special teams situation. If they match their career highs, three of which were hit during their sophomore seasons, they’d add 109 points to the lineup, which would have been more than 35 percent of what the Falcons had in total last season. It also would almost double their output of 57 points last season.

They are a crucial quartet indeed.

NEXT: Air Force’s emerging players

©First Line Editorial 2017-18