AFAFlightPath.com’s third annual Air Force hockey player survey moves on to part 2 – strength, checking and toughness.
Players were polled anonymously in early December. The survey included 25 questions that covered a range of skills.
What changed from previous years? Satisfy your curiosity by reading our 2018-19 season and 2017-18 season surveys.
Now on to part 2 of our exclusive Air Force hockey player survey:
Question 5: Which player displays the best overall functional strength?
- Zach Mirageas – 13 responses (55 percent)
- Joe Tyran – 4 (18 percent)
- Pierce Pluemer, Matt Pulver – 2
- Brady Tomlak – 1
Analysis: The vise in your garage probably doesn’t have a grip as strong as Mirageas’ handshake. Tyran combines his strength with excellent speed to pose all sorts of headaches for opponents on the forecheck.
Question 6: Who is the best body checker?
- Zach Mirageas – 12 (55 percent)
- Luke Rowe – 3 (13 percent)
- Pierce Pluemer – 2
- Erich Jaeger, Jake Levin, Alex Mehnert, Matt Pulver, Brady Tomlak – 1
Analysis: The Falcons always have plenty of willing hitters, but few bring it as forcefully as Mirageas does. He’s tempered his aggression some this season, and the result has been fewer penalties. The prospect of the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Pluemer exchanging greetings with you on the ice isn’t a pleasant one to think about either.
Question 7: Who is the toughest overall player on the team?
- Zach Mirageas – 10 (45 percent)
- Trevor Stone – 4 (18 percent)
- Matt Pulver – 3 (13 percent)
- Erich Jaeger, Andrew Kruse, Jake Levin, Brady Tomlak, Joe Tyran – 1
Analysis: He’s strong and he likes to hit, so it figures Mirageas appears atop this question, too. But he’s got a lot of competition. Stone has bounced back from – and delivered – some devastating hits over the years and rarely misses a shift. Pulver has emerged as one of the Falcons’ best players after working through not one, but two major shoulder surgeries.
Next: Who are the shooting stars?
©First Line Editorial 2019
