It’s come down to this: a nine-day stretch will determine whether or not Air Force can qualify for the Atlantic Hockey postseason as one of the league’s top eight teams.

The Falcons, who have won three in a row and four of six after 1-11-1 midseason skid, have a realistic shot at AHA’s eighth – and final – spot, and possibly seventh if they can go on a heater. To accomplish either, however, Air Force (10-16-2, 6-11-1) will have to take a majority of the points in its next six games. The kicker is that stretch occurs over a nine-day span beginning Friday.

The Falcons travel to Connecticut for a pair against second-place Sacred Heart (14-11-2, 12-5-2). They fly back to Colorado and face Canisius next Monday and Tuesday before third-place AIC visits the following Friday and Saturday. Canisius, the main target, sits four points ahead of the Falcons in eighth-place. Bentley is in between, but Air Force has three games in hand on their fellow Falcons.

So how will Air Force navigate this stretch?

“We’re not going to do anything (different),” Falcons coach Frank Serratore said after last weekend’s season-saving sweep of Mercyhurst. “We’re going to take it one game at a time, and we’re not going to manage anything. We’re going to try to win every game we can, and it won’t be easy starting with a very good Sacred Heart team.”

Playing the final four games at the friendly confines of Cadet Arena is an ace in the Falcons’ hole.

After a five-game winning streak, Sacred Heart has lost four of seven. However, the Pioneers are a balanced team, third in AHA in both offense (3.08) and defense (2.65), and they have the top penalty kill in the conference (87.3 percent).

The Falcons, meanwhile, got their PK back on track against Mercyhurst, killing off all 11 Lakers opportunities, and their struggling power play got it going on Saturday, ending an 0-for-26 drought. Air Force is fifth in scoring (2.67) but ninth in goals against (3.59). However, the latter number stood at 2.83 over the past six games.

“I don’t know if we’re doing anything differently,” co-captain Luke Rowe said. “I think guys are playing more free. Our power play finally scored, and it was the game-winning goal, which was awesome and is a monkey off our back.”

The improved play started, fellow captain Willie Reim said, at a place that has at times served as the ultimate jump starter for the Falcons – Army West Point. The Saturday victory there two weeks ago, on the heels of a tight game on Friday, provided a spark.

“I think a lot of guys were fighting it,” said Reim, who has four goals in the past three games. “And when you’re fighting it, you don’t really have the confidence when you’re making a play. Once we got that win against West Point, it seemed like people started loosening up. They weren’t gripping the stick as tight.

“It’s almost more we’re finally starting to play without a little voice in the back of our heads telling us not to do something. Now, it’s telling us to do it, and we know how to do it.”

Air Force is reasonably healthy for this point in the season, although it has lost starting goalie Guy Blessing and versatile forward Lucas Coon to season-ending surgeries. In their place, Maiszon Balboa has stepped up in net and freshman Holt Oliphant has taken on a bigger role. Balboa has won three in a row and stopped 48 of 53 Mercyhurst shots. Oliphant has five points in the past six games. Another freshman, center Mason McCormick, was named AHA’s Rookie of the Week after scoring in both games against Mercyhurst. Rowe’s defense partner, Brandon Koch, took AHA Defenseman of the Week honors after setting up both game winners vs. Mercyhurst. He has seven points in the past six games.

Depth will be a huge factor in navigating this stretch, Serratore said, adding there is no advantage or disadvantage to the compressed schedule.

“We have a pro schedule, but so does Canisius,” he said. “They’re going to travel back here on Sunday. We’re going to be traveling back on Sunday. We’re both playing four games in five nights. It’s one thing if one team was coming in and had the weekend off, but it’s not that way.

“As far as the fatigue factor, the biggest thing is hopefully we can go into Sacred Heart and have some success. That’s No. 1, win games. And No. 2, not lose any more players to injuries because we’re going to need those extra guys, not in Game 1 or Game 2. We’re going to need some fresh bodies in Game 3 and Game 4.”

The players are poised for the challenge.

“It’s a junior schedule,” Reim said. “It’ll be fun. It’ll bring back memories.”

The hope is it also brings back more victories and extends the Falcons’ season, which was nearly unthinkable a month ago.

©First Line Editorial 2023