WEST POINT, N.Y. – In a back-and-forth exciting game on Friday night at Tate Rink, the Black Knights settled for a 4-4 tie with Robert Morris behind two goals and three points from sophomore Brendan McGuire.
Army (1-5-3, 0-4-3 AHA) saw McGuire tie his career high in points with three. Ryan Nick and Joe Kozlak were the other goal scorers for the Black Knights as Nick tallied his third of the year to lead all defensemen. Parker Gahagen got the start and made 41 saves, including 15 in the first period.
The Colonials (4-4-3, 3-1-3 AHA) got goals from Brady Ferguson, Brandon Denham and Zac Lynch. Ferguson’s tally came on the power play, while Lynch found the back of the net with a shorthanded goal. Dalton Izyk earned the start and gave up all four Army goals and was pulled after McGuire’s second tally of the contest. Andrew Pikul came in and made 22 saves, including one in overtime to keep the deadlock.
“Our power play came up with some big goals tonight,” head coach Brian Riley said. “We talked about trying to create more offense and trying to get pucks to the net and I thought our guys did a better job at that. Obviously for us to get four that puts you in a pretty good position and you should win those games.”
Robert Morris took the first lead of the game with a power play goal from Ferguson. He set up in the slot and Denham found him with a pass from the side of the net and Robert Morris had the early 1-0 lead. Army answered minutes later with Nick tallying his third goal of the season, which is a career high. The defenseman walked the blueline and sniped a shot over the glove of Izyk to tie the game.
Army got it first lead of the game less than two minutes later as McGuire scored his first of the year with an assist to Taylor Maruya. The Black Knights intercepted a clearing chance from Robert Morris and the puck got to McGuire. He let the play develop and ripped a wrister past the glove of Izyk to give Army a 2-1 lead with 2:44 remaining in the opening frame. The Colonials answered with Lynch scoring on a shorthanded breakaway with one second left to tie the game going into the intermission.
The scoring kept coming and the Black Knights regained the advantage at 3-2 with Kozlak banging in a rebound on the power play. The tally came 46 seconds into the middle frame. Nash Worden put a shot on net and Kozlak was there for the cleanup. The Colonials fired back with a goal 1:14 later with Denham evening the game for the third time with 18 minutes left in the frame.
McGuire answered with his second of the night, 51 seconds after Robert Morris knotted the game at 3-3. He took a two-line pass from Pomarico and cruised into the zone and Izyk misplayed the shot. The puck snuck in past his left skate and Army had the lead at 4-3 entering the final period.
The Colonials evened the score at the 17:32 mark of the final frame with Denham scoring his second of the game with Spencer Dorowicz adding the assist. The teams played furiously in the third period and overtime, but both netminders kept the puck out of the net.
The Black Knights went 2-for-4 on the man advantage, while Robert Morris recorded one goal in three opportunities with the extra skater.
“Our power play has been good all year and we have a couple of units that feel very comfortable with each other,” Riley said. “They came up big for us tonight, but our penalty kill didn’t have to kill off a lot of penalties, however, it was a difference maker.”
Army and Robert Morris return to the ice tomorrow night for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff at Tate Rink.
Ice Shavings: This was the 14th meeting all-time between Army and Robert Morris … the Colonials were receiving votes in the USCHO.com National Poll this week … Gahagen started in net for the sixth time this season and 41st time in his career … he has started the last three games for the Black Knights … Army had rookies on all four lines and Nash Worden was the lone first-year defenseman in the lineup … the two goals in the first period by the Black Knights were the most in the opening period this season … McGuire earned his fourth career multi-point game and first of the year … he tallied his second career multi-goal game and his three points tied a career best … the four goals scored by the Black Knights is a season high.
