Air Force launches its 2024-25 hockey season on Friday night against NCHC newcomer Arizona State.

The youthful Falcons, who have 20 underclassmen on their roster, have some important questions to answer. How they do so likely will determine if they can attain their first goal of finishing in the top five in the renamed Atlantic Hockey America.

Air Force graduated two large classes full of key players the past two springs, so this season presents more unknowns than usual. Here are four keys to Air Force’s 2024-25 hockey season.

Can Goaltender Guy Blessing Steal Some Games?

Senior goaltender Guy Blessing is on an upward trajectory. After barely playing as a freshman and seeing his sophomore season short-circuited by injury, he made every start for the Falcons in 2023-24. His goals-against average fell to 2.88 and his save percentage climbed to .899, both career bests, as were his 18 wins and two shutouts.

However, if past Falcons goalies since the program reached its first NCAA Tournament in 2007 are the benchmark, Blessing’s numbers have room for improvement.

Andrew Volkening was a full-time three-year starter who led AFA to consecutive tournaments in 2008 and ’09. He won 49 games, had 10 shutouts, gaa’s of 2.09 and 1.97 and save percentages of .911 and .920. He was part of a timeshare in net for 2007 tournament team.

Jason Torf started most of the next four years and helped the team to the NCAAs in 2011 and 2012. His gaa’s were 2.87 and 1.73 and his save percentages were .909 and .929 while picking up seven shutouts in 24 wins.

Shane Starrett backstopped an Elite Eight team in 2017 with 1.99 and .924 numbers as well as five shutouts.

And Billy Christopoulos matched that feat the next season as a junior with 23 wins and 2.06 and .922 numbers and five more shutouts.

When Air Force has had it’s best seasons, a goaltender has been at the heart of it. Remarkably, none of the four reached the tournament in their senior season.

“Blessing needs to put the team on his back, especially early,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “It all starts with Bless. He was good for us last year but he can better.

“We need to come out with a chip on our shoulder, and that includes him. But he has won some big games for us, and we’re confident he will this season.”

Senior defenseman Mitchell Digby has no doubt about Blessing.

“Bless is getting more confident in how he plays every day,” Digby said. “He knows he’s a stud. We all know he’s a stud. I’m excited to see how he brings it to his senior year.”

How Will Air Force Replace Nearly Half of Its Offense?

Last season’s seniors took 48 goals (42 percent of the Falcons’ output) and 130 points (43 percent) out the door. Sooooo, how will Air Force replace that?

“We need to have more balance. Our best teams are four-line teams, and we have to be one,” Serratore said. “There is no doubt our underclassmen have to play above their pay grade.

“College hockey has never been better. The majority of college teams are older than AHL teams.”

We explored some breakout candidates last week. And Blessing pointed to two more.

“Our co-captains (Austin Schwartz and Clay Cosentino) look unbelievable. They’re two guys who could do anything,” Blessing said.

Both players are coming off career highs as juniors. Both had 10 goals, while Cosentino’s 28 points were fourth on the team and Schwartz’s 19 were sixth.

The biggest leaps potentially could come from a deep sophomore group.

“Every sophomore on our team has stepped it up big-time from their freshman year,” Cosentino said.

“It’s just getting that experience of being on the ice (together) in games, getting that feel. A lot of experience did leave, but we have a lot of guys with big eyes who are ready to get out there and work hard. That’s all that matters, guys are ready to put their best foot forward, and if they do that they’ll be rewarded.”

All three sophomores on last season’s team — defenseman Chris Hedden, wing Holt Oliphant and center Mason McCormick took massive steps in Year 2. Hedden piled up a team-high 37 points. So it’s not as if sophomores can’t make giant leaps.

Can the Falcons Improve at Even Strength?

Air Force won a lot of games last season due to its stellar special teams. The power play clicked 21.7 percent of the time (24th in Division I) and the penalty kill was even better, finding success 84.6 percent of the time (sixth in D-I).

The problem was the Falcons weren’t very good at even strength, scoring just 72 of their 115 goals that way. Factor in opponents had 90 even-strength goals and that more than negated the 43-29 advantage Air Force enjoyed either up or down a man.

“One thing we can do is be better at even strength,” Serratore said. “We had the ability to win more close games but our Achilles’ heel was five-on-five. That was the difference in the playoffs against AIC, and it was the difference in a lot of games.

“Last year we were older, more mature, and our special teams reflected that. This year, we’re younger and we have to be a good even-strength team.”

Indeed, the Falcons have just two returning players who had a positive plus-minus: Schwartz (plus-6) and fellow senior Jasper Lester (plus-1).

Can Air Force Capitalize on Its Strength Down the Middle?

There is one area that isn’t in question. The Falcons have four veteran centers, headed by seniors Cosentino and Andrew DeCarlo. McCormick and sophomore Owen Dubois give them two 6-foot-3-plus options at center ice.

The Falcons won close 55 percent of their draws last season, and they’ll need to keep that up.

“That’s a crucial position,” Blessing said. “Anytime you can get possession right off the drop, it’s enormous. Possession is everything. We’ve got the best faceoff guy in the country in Clayton Cosentino. These guys are strong. They all battle. I can’t speak enough on how important it is.”

Added Serratore, “It might be the deepest we’ve been down the middle ever. Cosentino is one of the top faceoff players by percentage in Division I. McCormick is a big, tall, strong guy, and Dubois is as massive as he is. Both are big guys who can play. And we have a couple of freshmen who can give us something there as well.”

That strength down the middle, from the goal out, likely will have a huge say in how the Falcons fare in 2024-25.

©First Line Editorial 2024