WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point hockey team jumped ahead of Mercyhurst 6-4 Friday night in game one of the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals behind a well powered offense. Ten different Black Knights recorded points in the night’s team effort.
ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES
The Black Knights improved to 18-15-5 with tonight’s win. It is the most victories by Army in a season since 2007-08 when the Cadets finished 19-14-4.
Army remains unbeaten with it scores more than five goals (6-0-1) and marks the second time this season that the team has netted six goals.
Tonight’s game featured 10 different point scorers for Army. Every goal except Michael Wilson’s was assisted.
Brendan Soucie led the night with two goals and an assist. It is the rookie’s fourth multi-goal and multi-point game this season.
Joe Shecter scored his first of the season on the opening goal as Dominic Franco, Nick DeCenzo and Wilson were all on the scoresheet.
Conor Andrle posted two assists in the game for the third time this season, while Ryan Nick and Franco also dished out two helpers.
Tyler Pham, Zach Evancho and Trevor Fidler were also in the assists column.
Parker Gahagen returned to net and recorded 37 saves. It was the most since he posted 40 at Canisius in the 2-2 tie. He is currently riding a six-game unbeaten streak which is a career-high.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Evancho took a shot which resulted in a breakaway with Brandon Wildung. The puck sailed left, but on the next play Shecter put it home. Pham and Andrle connected and passed it to Shecter who was in the slot four minutes into the game.
Nine minutes later, the Lakers tied the score at 1-1. After peppering Gahagen with shots, the puck finally passed the goal line with Joseph Duszak picking up the goal and Derek Barach and Jonathan Charbonneau tallying the assists.
Three minutes into the second stanza, the Lakers struck again with an unassisted goal from Kyle Dutra. A few minutes later, the Black Knights went on their first power play of the game.
With six seconds remaining in the extra man opportunity, Nick set Soucie up for an open shot. Franco connected in front and tipped the puck past Wildung.
The Black Knights thought they took the lead at the 15:14 mark of the second period, but it was called off due to an inadvertent whistle.
But 21 seconds later, DeCenzo sniped a wrister from the top of the left circle. The puck went top shelf with the assists coming from Evancho and Andrle. It was the eventual game winner.
To open the final frame, Soucie tipped in Franco’s shot to switch roles from the previous period. Nick was also in on the assist for the Black Knights to give them a 4-2 lead.
Mercyhurst netted its third goal of the game 49 seconds later after the puck took an odd bounce off the glass behind the net and bounced into the back of the net.
Then 1:29 later, Wilson scored his fourth of the season on an unassisted wraparound goal.
Soucie punched in is second of the game halfway through the final stanza after Fidler baited Colin DeAugustine out of position in net. The secondary assist went to Franco.
Stephen Hrehoriak netted the Lakers’ final goal of the game with 1:59 showing on the clock to bring the final score to 6-4 in favor of Army.
TURNING POINT
DeCenzo’s goal helped secured Army’s lead in the game after a disappointing play. This snapped the 2-2 tie and was the eventual game winner.
UP NEXT
Army and Mercyhurst are back at Tate Rink tomorrow night for round two of the series. If the Black Knights win they will head to Rochester for the semifinals. The Lakers can force a third game with a victory tomorrow night.
