WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army hockey team battled back from a pair of deficits on Friday night at Tate Rink, but had to settle for a 2-2 tie against Mercyhurst.
Army (10-12-8, 7-10-8 AHA) played in its program-record 12th overtime game thanks to a third period tally from Tyler Pham with less than five minutes to go in the game. The Black Knights saw Conor Andrle erase an early Mercyhurst lead with his eighth of the season in the second period. Fidler ended the night with two assists for his third multi-point game of his rookie campaign.
Parker Gahagen made 29 stops in the tie, including a highlight-reel stop in the third period to keep it deadlocked at 1-1 at the time of the save.
The Lakers (14-13-4, 12-9-4 AHA) were led by Taylor Best and Chris Makowski as the pair scored both goals. Best made a great play on the defensive end as well. He swatted a Clint Carlisle chance in mid air after it looked to have eyes for the back of the net. Adam Carlson was stellar in net with 39 saves, including seven in overtime when Army had multiple chances on the power play.
Mercyhurst got on the board first as Best put home a rebound in front with 6:26 left in the first period. Matthew Whitaker put a shot on net that Gahagen stopped, but Mychal Monteith collected the puck and slid a pass to Best for the one-timer in the slot for the early lead.
Army answered 2:36 into the second period with Andrle scoring his eighth of the year and sixth on the power play to even the score at 1-1. Fidler got the puck on net and Andrle was sitting at the far post to get the rebound and he didn’t miss it to even the score. C.J. Reuschlein was given the secondary assist on the goal.
The Lakers regained the lead with 6:48 remaining in the game as Makowski beat Gahagen after he made unbelievable stop to keep it tied. It was Makowski’s fifth of the season and the assist went to Anthony Mastrodicasa for his 10th of the season.
The Black Knights needed a goal and Pham came through when his team needed it. Fidler dug the puck out of the corner to Pham and he circle to the slot. He dangled around one Mercyhurst defenseman and beat Carlson between the pads with 3:03 left in the regulation.
Army had the best chances in overtime with a power play opportunity for the final 1:48 of the game, but couldn’t find a way past Carlson and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
The two teams are back on the ice tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at Tate Rink.
Ice Shavings: Head coach Brian Riley faced his son Jack, who is a first-line forward for Mercyhurst, for the fifth time in two years … It was the 49th meeting between Army and Mercyhurst … Gahagen made his 60th career start for the Black Knights and 25th this season … he held a team to two or less goals for the 10th time in his last 11 games … Army scored two power play goals for the fifth time this season … the Black Knights went to overtime for the 12th time this year, which is a program record … they are 1-3-8 in overtime … Andrle leads the team with six power play goals and is tied with Brendan McGuire for the team lead with eight goals overall.
