HARTFORD, CONN. – Behind 23 saves from junior Parker Gahagen and classmate Ryan Nick’s gamewinner in the third period, the Army hockey team shutout UConn, 2-0, on Tuesday night at the XL Center.
Army (1-5-2) saw Gahagen earn his second shutout of his career and first of the season. Nick tallied his second goal of the season, which is a career high for the defenseman. Clint Carlisle added some insurance in the final minute with an empty net tally. Nick finished with his first career multi-point game as he was awarded an assist on Carlisle’s tally.
UConn (3-7-0) got 27 saves from goalie Rob Nichols, but couldn’t find a way past Gahagen and the Army defense.
“I am really proud of our guys,” head coach Brian Riley said. “This was a great non-league win for us against a Hockey East school. We have been off to a slow start because we have been our own worst enemy as far as taking penalties and tonight our guys played with a lot of discipline and put us in a great situation to win a hockey game.”
In a scoreless first period, both teams were dealing with a bouncing puck for almost the entire period. UConn had the best chance of the opening 20 minutes with a shot from the slot, but Gahagen made the stop. Army had its best opportunity with Trevor Fidler deflecting a shot from the point on net. Nichols didn’t over commit to the slapper so he was in good position to see the deflection. The Huskies led 10-7 in shots after the first and the Black Knights had the lone power play.
The second period was more of the same with neither team getting quality chances and the game headed into the final period scoreless. Conor Andrle had a great chance in the final seconds with a wrap-around opportunity, but he shot the puck over the net. Tyler Pham continues to have bad puck luck as he got open after Andrle’s chance. As he was connecting on the biscuit the buzzer sounded for the end of the middle frame.
The Huskies had their best chance of the game in that middle frame. It came on the power play and they were able to find an opening at the backside of Gahagen. However, the goalie slide along on the ice from post-to-post and denied the scoring chance to keep it scoreless after two.
Army broke the ice 7:35 into the third period as Nick scored his second goal of the season. Shane Hearn got the puck in the zone and in a heads up move, found Nick with a cross-ice saucer pass. The feed hit Nick in stride and he went top shelf on Nichols as the puck hit the bar and went in for the 1-0 lead.
Carlisle sealed the deal in the final minute with his second of the season coming as an empty-netter. Pham and Nick ended up with the assists.
“We have played games on Veterans Day and the night before Veterans Day and it is such an honor to coach at a place like West Point,” Riley said. “To coach guys that you know what they have gone onto do and what these men are going to do, makes it the most humbling and rewarding job in all of college hockey. To get a win before Veterans Day, the hockey gods were looking out for us.”
Neither team scored on the power play as Army had four chances and UConn had three opportunities. The Black Knights outshot the Huskies 30-23 in the game.
Army is back in action on Nov. 20 for a two-game set against Robert Morris at Tate Rink.
Ice Shavings: First midweek game of the season for the Black Knights … second non-conference matchup and both have come against Hockey East opponents … Army is 29-28-8 all-time against the Huskies after playing them in Atlantic Hockey for many seasons … Tanner Creel, who is one of UConn’s back up netminders played for the Black Knights in 2013-14 … Army has kept its opponent scoreless for the last five periods … Gahagen made his fifth start of the season and 46th of his career … Nick had his first career multi-point game after scoring points in nine games throughout his career.
