Through six games of the 2023-2024 season, Air Force’s offense has scored the fifth-most goals in the NCAA, as the maturing roster capitalizes on nonconference matchups.

Last season, the Falcons finished 37th in total goals scored (95) and average goals per-game (2.6) with one of the youngest teams in the nation.

With a year of maturation, head coach Frank Serratore is confident in the mix of guys coming through the old-fashioned way.

“The traditional schools got a bunch of mulligans in their pockets, we don’t,” Serratore said regarding the transfer portal, fifth-year seniors and winter break pickups. “We’re doing it the old-fashioned way, the only opportunity we have to bring guys in is on the front end.”

As a four-year academy, Air Force relies on the natural maturation of its commits, and Serratore acknowledged the balance of age and depth required to keep pace with programs that utilize the free agency-type tools to build roster strength in a time where Serratore feels “college hockey has never been better.”

Despite the limited resources, the Falcons have shown what they’re capable of with a 3-3 record through six games this season, all of which were nonconference play.

The Falcons have split series with Lindenwood, Alaska Anchorage and a favored No. 8-ranked Michigan State team packed with NHL prospects.

The Falcons depth helped carry them to the upset over the Spartans, where a fourth line of three true freshmen in Brendan Gibbons, Owen Dubois and Nick Remissong accounted for five goals and five assists.

Gibbons adds another goal for the Falcons‼️ pic.twitter.com/T0oKKUW6iv

— Air Force Hockey (@AF_HKY) October 14, 2023

With a 5-1 record, the No. 8 Spartans’ lone loss belongs to Air Force – the only team to net more than three goals in a contest against the Spartans this season – and Serratore’s team is making the most out of an eight-game nonconference schedule in October.

“Our players want to play those games, our fans want to see some of those teams in our building and our coaching staff wants to see where we sit on the food chain,” Serratore said of the heavy nonconference schedule. “You can’t beat ‘em if you don’t play ‘em.”

A mobile blue line has helped pave the way for the Falcons start, as they look to move away from a last-place finish in Atlantic Hockey during the 2022-2023 campaign.

Defensemen Luke Rowe (senior) and Chris Hedden (sophomore) each have registered a goal and seven points through six games with offensive push from the backend.

Congrats to Chris Hedden - the @Atlantic_Hockey Defensive Player of the Weekhttps://t.co/R9OiIhoHCg pic.twitter.com/66Uxi6250F

— Air Force Hockey (@AF_HKY) October 23, 2023

“If you’re just relying on your forwards to score, you’re not gonna score enough,” Serratore said. “You need to have a five-man offense. We talk about our group-of-five play. You have to be able to have effective defenseman offensively that you can kick the puck back to and that can make some plays.”

As the Falcons get set for conference play in November and continue to find out what they’re capable of against some of the nation’s best programs, they’ll face a 5-0 Colorado College team and No. 2-ranked Denver this weekend.

Don’t miss a second of the action. Watch every Atlantic Hockey game - and much more - right here on FloHockey, all season long.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @Jacob_Messing.