WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army hockey team scored three goals in the first period and cruised to a 3-1 win over Holy Cross on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at Tate Rink.
Army (9-11-7, 6-9-7 AHA) was led by defenseman Blake Box with his first career multi-point game as he had two assists. C.J. Reuschlein and Brendan McGuire both scored for the Black Knights, while Taylor Maruya converted the Black Knights’ first shorthanded goal of the season.
“It is huge anytime you get three goals in the first period,” said Box. “It is tough for a team to come back from that.”
Parker Gahagen was once again solid between the pipes with 28 saves, including 11 in the first and third periods.
With the win Army is currently on a five-game unbeaten streak, which is the longest since 2009. The Black Knights are now tied with Sacred Heart for eighth place in Atlantic Hockey with 19 points.
“Getting the three goals in the first was obviously a good start,” said head coach Brian Riley. “We knew there was still 40 minutes left to go and Holy Cross is a very good team. We knew there was going to be a big push from them and I thought they had us on our heels at times, but our penalty kill was great all weekend.”
Holy Cross (13-10-5, 11-6-5 AHA) got its lone goal from Danny Lopez with Scott Pooley and Spencer Trapp adding the assists. Paul Berrafato had a tough first period, but settled in to make 26 saves in the loss.
Army started out on fire with three goals in the first period. Reuschlein gave the Black Knights the first lead of the game at the 16:20 mark of the first frame. Box fed the puck down to Conor Andrle and he shoveled a backhander to the front of the net and Reuschlein jammed it home for the first tally of the net.
Maruya gave the Black Knights a 2-0 advantage with Army’s first shorthanded goal of the season. He collected the puck in the defensive zone and skate the length of the ice and beat Berrafato with a wrister from the right circle with 13:37 on the clock in the opening period.
The scoring didn’t stop there as McGuire tipped home a Christian Pomarico shot from the left point that gave the Black Knights the 3-0 lead. Army scored three goals in a period for the third time this season and the last came against Niagara last weekend.
Holy Cross cut the lead to 3-1 in the second period with Lopez putting home a rebound off of a Pooley shot from the point. Pooley had his first shot blocked, but got it back and put the puck on net. Gahagen made the save, but left a juicy rebound and Lopez didn’t miss it for the Crusaders first goal of the night.
The Black Knights killed off two Holy Cross power plays in the final period and came away with the 3-1 win. The teams finished with 29 shots apiece.
Army is back in action next weekend with a tough two-game set on the road at Robert Morris, who sits atop the league standings.
Ice Shavings: Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army GEN Mark A. Milley was on hand tonight and dropped the ceremonial first puck and also talked with the Black Knights prior to the game … Army retired the jerseys of Dave Merhar ’69, George Clark ’75 and Dave Rost ’77 in a pregame ceremony … Army and Holy Cross played for the 74th time since the first meeting in 1956 … Army scored three goals in the first period for the second time this year … Andrle now has 17 points in 17 games … Box tallied his first career multi-point and multi-assist game … Maruya had the Black Knights’ first shorthanded goal of the season in the first period … Gahagen has not given up two or more goals in his last six starts … the Black Knights even the all-time series with the Crusaders at 32-32-10 and have gone unbeaten in the last four against Holy Cross.
