Air Force vs. Maine

7 p.m., Friday, Cadet Ice Arena

Streaming / Radio: Flohockey.tv / XTRA 1300-AM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

The teams could be mirror images of one another. Maine coach Ben Barr described his Black Bears as “a team that has to have four lines and six or seven defensemen contributing and good goaltending. We’re big on effort and attitude. We don’t want to give free (scoring) chances. We have to have everyone going.” Sound familiar? “We have to become great collectively,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said.

Throw out last year’s statistics because Maine has 16 new players this season. Air Force, on the other hand, returns everyone but graduated goaltender Alex Schilling. So on one hand, no one knows what to expect from the Black Bears, and on the other, the big question for the Falcons is who replaces Schilling? Sophomore Guy Blessing seems be in the pole position, but he was pulled in the third period of the exhibition against Colorado College and replaced by freshman Aaron Randazzo.

Air Force and Denver are co-hosting the Ice Breaker, the first time two teams will share that duty in the event’s history. Interestingly enough, North Dakota and Bemidji State, coached by Serratore’s brother Tom, will replicate the tag team next season. The last time the Falcons were in the Ice Breaker, in 2016, they won it at Denver, beating Boston College and Ohio State (in a shootout). The following spring they reached the NCAA Tournament’s elite eight. … The teams have only played four times, with Main winning all four, most recently in 2005 at World Arena.  … The Falcons and Pioneers will switch opponents on Saturday, with No. 11 Notre Dame visiting Cadet Arena.

AIR FORCE PREVIEWS

Three keys to the season

Impact players

Emerging players

Roster by the numbers

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