Brian Riley Earns 250th Win as Hockey Takes Game One Versus Air Force

Friday, January 17

West Point, NY

7:00 PM

Army West Point

8-15-0, 8-8-0

Air Force

11-13-1, 8-7-0

Air Force

Army West Point

Brian Riley Earns 250th Win as Hockey Takes Game One Versus Air Force

January 17, 2025 | Hockey

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army West Point hockey (8-15-0, 8-8-0 Atlantic Hockey America) took game one over service academy rival Air Force (11-12-1, 8-6-0 Atlantic Hockey America) as the Black Knights defeated the Falcons 3-2.

Head Coach Brian Riley earned his 250th career victory in the process, becoming the fifth coach in Atlantic Hockey history to reach the 250-win plateau.

The Black Knights struck hard and fast in the first two periods, opening up a three goal lead over the first 40 minutes of action before the Falcons could find the net. Air Force controlled possession in the final period and drew within one goal of Army with a pair of back-to-back goals tallied midway through the third period.

JJ Cataldo totaled 31 saves to earn his third straight victory between the pipes for Army, marking his seventh game this season with at least 30 saves.

Mac Gadowsky and Jack Ivey netted goals on the power-play while Brent Keefer added his fifth tally of the season.

Guy Blessing made 17 saves in net for Air Force as the Army power-play went two-for-two on the night.

To begin the game, Army drew a power-play with only 4:18 expired from the clock as Holt Oliphant was sent to the penalty box for boarding.

The Black Knights made good on the opportunity as Barron Woodring won the faceoff in Air Force's zone, sending it to the stick of Mac Gadowsky who carried the puck around the perimeter of the zone, across the crease, and lifted it past Blessing to open the scoring in Army's favor with his ninth goal of the season only 10 seconds into the power play.

Air Force looked to equalize as the period marched on when they drew a power play of their own when Dylan Wegner was called for hooking at 13:15, but the Black Knights killed the penalty with two near goals for Air Force as the Falcons ricocheted two shots off the posts.

Army locked down defensively and fiercely defended its defensive zone in the twilight hours of the first period to hold its 1-0 lead into the first break, fighting off a barrage of shots from the Falcons' offense.

The Black Knights felt the momentum as the second period began, taking a 2-0 lead as Brent Keefer raced down the ice on a quick pass from Jon Bell deep in Army's defensive zone and rifled a shot past Blessing just over six minutes after the return from intermission.

Air Force drew a power-play just after the halfway mark in the second period, but it would be Army's power-play unit that would find success with less than five minutes remaining in the period.

Jack Ivey muscled in a shot from the top of the right hand faceoff circle in the Falcons' defensive zone that found open real estate in the top left corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season and gave Army a 3-0 lead that stood through the second intermission. Nils Forselius and Gadowsky logged assists on the girl.

Air Force came out swinging in the third period, recording 10 shots to the Black Knights' two in the final 20 minutes of action.

The Falcons' aggression paid off in the 13th minute when Air Force's power play unit scored back-to-back goals within 15 seconds of each other to come within one goal.

Blessing was eventually pulled with two minutes remaining, but Cataldo and the defense held off the late Falcons surge to survive and claim game one of the series.

The Black Knights will return to Tate Rink for game two with Air Force at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 18.