AFAFlightPath.com’s third annual Air Force hockey player survey moves on to part 3 – the shooting stars. Who shoots the puck hardest, unloads it quickest and fires it most accurately?

Players were polled anonymously in early December. The survey included 25 questions that covered a range of skills. Nearly 80 percent of the players on the roster responded.

Part 1 examined skating

Part 2 dealt with strength, checking and toughness

What changed from previous years? Satisfy your curiosity by reading our 2018-19 season and 2017-18 season surveys.

Now on to part 3 of our exclusive Air Force hockey player survey:

Question 8: Which player has the hardest shot?

• Zach Mirageas – 9 responses (41 percent)
• Willie Reim, Trevor Stone – 4 (18 percent)
• Luke Rowe – 3 (13 percent)
• Kieran Durgan, Joe Tyran – 1

Analysis: This category could be broken down into a few subcategories. Mirageas’ slap shot is impressive, but Falcons goalies have told me over the years’ that Stone’s power on his wrist shot is tough to contend with. I’ve heard the same about Durgan’s in the past year. When the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Reim has time and space to unload it (and he doesn’t need a lot of either), run for cover.

Question 9: Which player has the most accurate shot?

• Kieran Durgan – 9 (41 percent)
• Shawn Knowlton – 4 (18 percent)
• Zach Mirageas – 3 (13 percent)
• Keenan Lund – 2
• Brandon Koch, Luke Manning, Matt Pulver, Willie Reim – 1

Analysis: Durgan stepped right into a fairly deep Falcons lineup as a freshman winger and scored a team-high 12 goals. He’s moved to center this season but his marksmanship is obvious. Knowlton is the Falcons’ shootout weapon, and his accuracy combined with his agility, deceptiveness and stickhandling is why. Why does Mirageas score so much from long distance? His combination of power and accuracy is one reason.

Question 10: Which player has the quickest release?

• Kieran Durgan – 8 (36 percent)
• Keenan Lund, Willie Reim, Trevor Stone – 3 (13 percent)
• Matt Pulver – 2
• Marshall Bowery, Shawn Knowlton, Luke Manning – 1

Analysis: It says something about Lund’s and Reim’s releases that the freshmen are ranked with Stone and Durgan, who compare to some of the top players I’ve watched in Atlantic Hockey and the NCHC in the past five years. Durgan’s release and accuracy give him the potential to score 20 goals. Stone’s release is particularly helpful because so many of his chances come close to net because of his relentless pursuit of the puck.

Next: Tracking the good hands Falcons

©First Line Editorial 2019