Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
0-4-0, 0-1-0
Sacred Heart University
3-4-0, 3-2-0
Hockey Falls at Sacred Heart in AHA Opener
October 31, 2023 | Hockey
FAIRFIELD, CT - Army West Point hockey (0-4-0, 0-1-0 Atlantic Hockey) fell by a score of 6-1 in its conference opener at Sacred Heart (3-4-0, 3-2-0 Atlantic Hockey) on Tuesday night from Martire Family Arena.
The Black Knights opened the AHA slate following a 17-day layoff after competing in the Ice Breaker Tournament earlier this month. Joey Baez supplied the goal on the power-play for the Black Knights, with Max Itagaki and Michael Sacco logging assists. Gavin Abric made 26 saves in goal for Army while making his third start of the season.
The Pioneers struck first less than four minutes into the game, with Hunter Sansbury finding the back of the net from in close after a centering pass from behind the net via Braeden Tuck.
Each team got an opportunity on the power-play in the middle of the period, with the PK units both holding strong. The Pioneers were able to double the advantage with just under five minutes to go in the frame, with Kevin Lombardi potting a similar goal to Sansbury's earlier in the period.
The Pioneers eventually outshot the Black Knights 11-6 in the first, going in with a 2-0 lead.
Sacred Heart had the first few chances of the second, with Abric making a handful of stops to keep it a two-goal game. Army got the best opportunity of the game for either side six minutes in, with Max Itagaki seeing a breakaway chance saved by Chase Clark in the Sacred Heart net.
Sacred Heart eventually took advantage on its third power-play opportunity of the game,as Marcus Joughin fired past Abric with a wrist shot off a pass from Mikey Adamson. Sacred Heart went ahead 3-0 with 8:21 left in the period following the goal.
However, the Black Knights had a golden opportunity minutes later, with a full two minutes of a five-on-three advantage. The Pioneers held strong for the first minute down two men, with Army then taking a pair of penalties themselves for a brief three-on-three period leading into a SHU power-play.Â
The Pioneers made good once again with extra man, getting out to a 4-0 lead in the closing minutes of the second period. Sacred Heart found the back of the net first in the third period as well, taking a commanding 5-0 lead with just under ten minutes to play.
Army eventually got its second five-on-three opportunity of the contest, this time capitalizing through Joey Baez who took a feed from Itagaki on the left circle and fired home to spoil the shutout for Chase Clark and the Pioneers. Sacred Heart added a goal just over three minutes later, bringing the final tally to 6-1 in favor of Sacred Heart.Â
