EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – The Army West point hockey team fought back from a one point deficit to tie Sacred Heart 3-3 Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum. The Black Knights were trailing 3-2 with 9:50 left in the third period before Michael Wilson scored to force overtime.
ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES
Army picks up one point with the tie to increase its point total in Atlantic Hockey to 15.
The Black Knights scored two power play goals for the third time this season. The others came against Air Force and the Pioneers in the first half of the year.
Army went 2-of-6 on the power play against Sacred Heart.
Dominic Franco scored the first goal of the game for Army for his seventh of the season. He also assisted on the team’s second power play of the night to bring his point total to 42 in his career and 20 during his sophomore season.
Zach Evancho scored on the man advantage for the 10th power play goal of his career.
Wilson had the Black Knights’ other power play goal of the night for his 10th score of the year and fifth power play of the season. He added an assist earlier in the night to Franco.
Conor Andrle, John Zimmerman, Alex Wilkinson and Brendan Soucie all added one assist in the game.
The Pioneers broke Army’s three game streak of not allowing a power play goal with their first score of the evening.
Jared Dempsey garnered 29 saves which was a career-high in Atlantic Hockey contests.
Army played in its fourth overtime game of the season.
This was the Black Knights’ third straight year playing in a professional sports facility.
HOW IT HAPPENED
PERIOD ONE (ARMY 2 – SHU 1)
Army went on the first power play of the game halfway through the first period. The Black Knights saw good opportunities, but did not score on the man advantage.
The Pioneers received a power play chance minutes after and were able to capitalize.
With 10:04 on the clock, Dempsey made a point-blank save, but 30 seconds later Sacred Heart scored with a successful screen.
The Black Knights did not stay quiet and tied the score at 1-1 when Franco put away Soucie’s rebound. Wilson carried the puck up the ice giving Soucie an open lane and Franco finished things off with 7:17 on the clock.
Just over a minute later, the Black Knights scored six seconds into their second power play of the game.
Evancho ripped a shot from above the left circle catching Brett Magnus off guard and giving Army a 2-1 lead.
PERIOD TWO (SHU 3 – ARMY 2)
Sacred Heart began the period with back-to-back goals. First was a goal 4:22 in from the left circle.
Then the Pioneers caught a lucky break when Johnstone received the puck as he was exiting the penalty box. He went one-on-one with Dempsey and scored to push Sacred Heart up 3-2.
Franco sniped the pipe from the short side with 5:37 remaining to keep the Pioneers on their toes.
PERIOD THREE (ARMY 3 – SHU 3)
Through a slew of back-and-forth penalties, the Black Knights captured their second power play goal of the night 10:50 into the third frame.
Wilson tipped in Wilkinson’s shot from above the right circle. He was fed the puck from Franco on the nearside dot tying things up at 3-3.
OVERTIME (ARMY 3 – SHU 3)
Dempsey remained steady for the Black Knights with a slew of saves two minutes into the extra time to ensure the games continuation.
Evancho took a shot from the slot with 2:50 remaining, but Magnus stopped the puck with his chest.
UP NEXT
The Black Knights return home for a weekend series against Bentley Jan. 12-13. Both games will begin at 7:05 p.m.
