Air Force has worked overtime getting ready for this weekend’s opportunity in Atlantic Hockey’s final four at Utica, N.Y.

Division I’s second-youngest team, the Falcons gained plenty of crunch-time experience this season, particularly in the past 11 games since they were shellacked by Army West Point, 8-3, at Cadet Arena on Jan. 28.

A host of numbers point to the fact that despite a slow start, Air Force is gelling at the right time and could be a force to be reckoned with, starting Friday with its third game in its past five against RIT.

Owning overtime

The Falcons have gone to overtime in eight of their 11 games since that defeat and have won five of them. Overall they are 7-2-3 in overtime. They are 6-4-1 in that closing stretch, including last weekend’s AHA quarterfinal sweep at Army West Point.

“We’ve had plenty of experience in pressure-cooked situations,” senior goaltender Alex Schilling said. “We have nothing to lose. RIT is playing great right now. It’s two good teams colliding.”

Additionally, the Falcons have played 20 one-goal games and have gone 11-6-3 in those.

And they have gotten points in every road series since being swept at AIC to start 2022.

“On paper we were supposed to be a year away,” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said. “It’s a good thing the boys didn’t get the memo. What a testament to the players and my coaching staff. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Final four friendly

Serratore and company should be. History has shown that when they reach the AHA final four they don’t stop there very often. They have a 14-2 record at it, only twice being sent packing in nine previous visits.

Next up is a very familiar foe in the Tigers.

The teams have a storied playoff history; this is the sixth time they’ve met in the AHA postseason, and the teams are 3-3. Air Force’s three wins came in the 2008 semifinals and the 2011 and ’12 title games. RIT won a 2015 quarterfinal series and a 2016 semifinal.

And, they played a compelling regular-season-closing series on Feb. 25-26 at Cadet Arena. The Tigers tied the score in the third and won it early in overtime in Game 1, but the Falcons, behind a gem by Schilling and Nate Horn‘s OT winner off an alert cross-slot feed from Brandon Koch, took the rematch, 1-0.

The ability to win close games has the Falcons’ confidence at season peak.

“We’ve showed vs. Michigan State, vs. Denver in that first game, we know it’s there,” assistant captain Willie Reim said. “We’re coming together at the right time. All these overtimes, there’s such a thin margin.

“Confidence is huge. We’re comfortable (taking chances on offense) because we know our goalie will bail us out.”

Schilling, as even-keeled as the masked men come, has played well much of the season. Teammate after teammate has spoken of his ability to make timely, highlight-reel saves. When he’s had a down game (last Friday’s 5-4 win at Army being an example), his teammates have picked him up.

“Schills had a bit of a stinker Friday,” Serratore said. “But he got his legs under him in the third period (when the Falcons tied the score) and made a couple of saves in overtime. It’s not often you give up four goals and win.

“(That speaks to) his resiliency and his perseverance. We need Schills to be good this weekend.”

Falcons going on the offensive

Beyond the goaltending, the Falcons are scoring more than they have since the 2017-18 season. And it’s been spread out well. Ten players, including four defensemen, have 13 or more points. Sophomore forward Will Gavin leads three double-digit goal scorers with 15, Reim and Horn have 11.

And the Falcons’ special teams have rebounded after horrendous starts. The power play, which once was around 7 percent is now at 16.9 percent. And the penalty kill has picked up steam as well. In late 2021, the Falcons killed off a program-record 34 in a row, and they’ve killed 20 of opponents’ past 23 power-plays heading into this series.

Add in that Air Force is 7-7-2 on the road, and this is a team that could continue to make some postseason noise.

“We haven’t arrived at our destination yet,” Serratore said. “We believe we can beat anyone in a one-game season. We’re relatively healthy.

“We are here because we belong here. There is no possible way we’re not more battle-hardened (after the Army series).”

Notes: Koch, a junior defenseman whose 23 points are third on the team, was selected third-team All-AHA. Center Clayton Cosentino (22 points) and defenseman Mitchell Digby (18) made the conference’s all-rookie team.

©First Line Editorial 2022