Redemption, thy name is Army West Point.
That’s obviously an exaggeration, but for the Air Force hockey team this weekend’s Atlantic Hockey trip to West Point, N.Y., offers an opportunity to reclaim its season.
The Falcons (7-15-2, 3-10-1 AHA) ended their nine-game slump last Friday in emphatic fashion, with a 6-3 victory against Niagara. They lost Saturday’s rematch in the closing seconds and stayed put in 10th (and last) place in the conference by four points. That’s never good, but particularly this season, when Atlantic Hockey is only taking its top eight teams for its playoffs. The Falcons sit seven points out of that spot.
“Even if this was a spring exhibition, you would still get the most competitive, hard-nosed series you could find,” Air Force co-captain Luke Rowe said. “Look where we are in the standings. It’s either put up or shut up. I think we’re ready. This weekend bodes well for us because we know what’s at stake.”
This is a rivalry that is, frankly, unrivaled in college hockey. Two proud service academies – the only two that play Division I ice hockey – going head-to-head and hand-to-hand. When you hear a coach talk about every inch of ice being contested, it’s not a cliché in these games. It’s an instructional video.
“Those are the funnest, the best series as an Academy hockey player, right?” co-captain Willie Reim said after Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Niagara. “It doesn’t matter how well you’re playing, everything is thrown out when you’re playing at West Point. It’s going to be a battle, but I think everyone here looks forward to it.”
After a slow start, the Black Knights (7-13-3, 6-8-1 AHA) have found their game recently, and they sit 10 points and three spots above the Falcons. They have their sights set on getting into the top four and hosting an AHA quarterfinal series. They’re only five points away from that, so their motivation will be just as high.
The great thing about this series is one really never knows what you’ll get, even from night to night. Last season’s games reflected that.
Games 1 and 2 (regular-season games at Cadet Ice Arena) — Army rallied from an early deficit and took Air Force to the woodshed, 8-3. One night later, Air Force’s Nate Horn scored late in overtime for a victory that relaunched the Falcons’ season.
Games 3 and 4 (AHA quarterfinal series at Tate Rink) — The Falcons twice rallied from deficits before winning on Blake Bride’s goal with 4:30 left in overtime. The next night, the Falcons won in OT again, just 1:02 in, on Parker Brown’s goal.
The two previous series the teams played featured three ties and an Army win. Before that, an Air Force sweep. Before that, the 2018 quarterfinal series, which Air Force won in overtime in Game 3 after Army had swept the regular-season series. You get the idea.
There are advantages for both teams in both settings. Home cooking is great, but the intensity levels ratchet up considerably when the boo-levels reach jet-engine-decibel levels.
“The environment (at Tate Rink) is great,” Bride said. “There is mutual respect between the players because we’re going through the same things. We’re familiar with that territory. At the same time, hearing the boo’s, they’re louder there. We’re coming into their house, but we know the style.”
This also is a trip that had tended to galvanize the Falcons, the assistant captain added.
“This is a chance for us to pull together even more as a unit,” Bride said. “These are our rivals. This leads to finding your groove as a team. These games are so unique. If it doesn’t bring you together, nothing will.”
Togetherness rarely is a question at either institution. Both teams boast incredible leadership and strong chemistry. It’s a given.
Another ingredient is talent, and even on the heels of a 1-10-1 stretch, the Falcons know they have an experienced, playoff-tested group in their locker room. They want to activate asap. After this series, the Falcons have 10 more AHA contests left, packed into a four-week span, so the mission is clear.
“It’s late January, and (losing streaks) are not what we’re about,” Rowe said. “We will show up this weekend. We have all the instruments, all the tools, all the players. This team has so much talent and skill, we have to do a better job capitalizing on the opportunities we have.
“Air Force is a second-half team, but that team hasn’t shown up yet. It’s time we become that second-half team and string together full weekends. Once we do that, the floodgates will open.”
Notes: Friday’s game faces off at 5 p.m. MST and Saturday’s starts at 2 p.m. MST. FloHockey.TV and 1300 AM will carry the stream and broadcast, respectively. … Air Force might have some good news on the injury front. Three regulars – goaltender Maiszon Balboa, defenseman Luke Robinson, and forward Austin Schwartz made the trip. It’s anyone’s guess if Balboa, or senior Austin Park, who is coming off a 29-save gem against Niagara, will start in net. … The Falcons have lost two players for the season – sophomores Guy Blessing and Lucas Coon. Blessing, the team’s starting goalie, finished the season 6-8-1 with a .889 saves percentage and a 3.23 goals-against average. Coon, a forward who saw power-play time, had two assists in nine games.
©First Line Editorial 2023
