BOSTON – Playing in historic Fenway Park, the Army West Point hockey team had a late rally stopped by Bentley as the Black Knights fell to the Falcons, 3-1, in Atlantic Hockey action on Thursday night.
The Black Knights (10-7-2, 9-5-0 AHA) saw Zach Evancho score their lone goal of the night with assists to Alex Wilkinson and Tyler Pham. Goalie Parker Gahagen stopped 24 saves in the loss.
The Falcons (5-10-4, 4-6-3 AHA) were led by goal scorers Alexey Soloyvey and Drew Callin. Goalie Jayson Argue made 25 saves in the win.
The Black Knights are back in action against Bentley tomorrow night at John A. Ryan Skating Rink at 7 p.m.
ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES
The Black Knights wore gold uniforms for the first time this season.
It was the current Black Knights’ first time playing in an outdoor rink.
Although the West Point hockey program was started on an outdoor frozen pond on the banks of the Hudson, the Cadets’ last outing on a frozen pond was in 2012 when they faced AIC at Rentschler Field in February of 2011 and won 4-1.
Evancho increased his point streak to six games. Over the stretch, he has posted seven points for the Cadets.
This was Army’s first game on a Thursday night and the only game that was not played on a Friday or Saturday this year.
The Black Knights have yet to be shutout in 19 games this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons got on the board first with 13:40 left in the first with a shot from the point. Alexey Solovyey wristed a shot from the left point that had eyes and found the back of the net.
Bentley added to its lead in the second period, but Army sliced the lead to one at 2-1 after the middle frame.
Zach Evancho netted his ninth of the year. He scored from the slot on a wicked wrister that beat Jayson Argue top shelf on the short side.
Evancho continued his power play hot streak at the 9:27 mark of the middle frame. With the Black Knights up 5-on-3, Evancho scored from the slot that beat Jayson Argue top shelf on the short side
The assists were credited Wilkinson and Pham. It was Wilkinson’s eighth assist of the season, which is the most among defensemen, while Pham added his ninth helper.
With nine seconds left in the game, the Falcons got some insurance on an empty net goal from Brett Orr to close the scoring. This put Bentley out of reach for the Black Knights at 3-1.
UP NEXT
The Black Knights and Falcons continue the weekend series at John A. Ryan Skating Rink in Watertown, Mass., on Friday night. The puck will drop at 7:05 p.m.
