MILFORD, Conn. – Army took an early 1-0 lead, but Sacred Heart fired back with four unanswered goals to earn a 4-1 win on Saturday night at the Milford Ice Pavilion.
Army (5-10-5, 3-8-5 AHA) saw Taylor Maruya open the scoring in the game with his third of the year. Conor Andrle and Blake Box were given assists on the play. Gahagen made the start and made 24 saves in the loss.
The Pioneers (8-10-3, 7-7-2 AHA) scored all three of their goals in the span of three minutes. Jordan Minello and Evan Jasper tallied the first two in 38 seconds and both were primary assisters on each other’s goals. Liam Clare added insurance late in the first to close out the scoring at 3-1. Brett Magnus earned the start and stopped 30 shots in the win, including 13 in the final period.
Army broke the ice with Maruya scoring his third of the season with hard work in front of the net. Conor Andrle put the initial shot on net and Maruya got position in front and jammed it home to give the Black Knights the first advantage of the night.
Sacred Heart evened it up and took the lead within a span of 38 seconds late in the first frame. Jasper tallied both goals for the Pioneers. The first was similar to Mayura’s goal as Jasper cleaned up a rebound in front. Jordan Minello put a shot on net that Gahagen pushed aside, but Jasper slipped the puck past the near post.
Jasper gave the Pioneers the lead 38 second later with a wrister from the left side. He was not pressured when he got into the zone and snuck one past Gahagen at the near post for the 2-1 advantage. The Pioneers added to their lead with Clare scoring the first of his career after a lengthy scrum in front of the net and Sacred Heart had a 3-1 advantage at the first intermission.
All the scoring came in the first frame. Army was scoreless on the power play on three chances, while Sacred Heart went 0-for-4 on the man advantage. The Black Knights led in shots by a 31-28 margin.
Army is back at Tate Rink next weekend for a two-game clash with service-academy rival Air Force.
Ice Shavings: This was the fourth meeting between Sacred Heart and Army this season and eighth time in the last two years these two teams have played … Army finishes the regular season with the upper hand at 2-1-1 in the four games … this was Gahagen’s 16th start of the season … Andrle tallied his 13th assist of the season and extended his point streak to five games and has points in 10 of his last 12 games … Box tallied his second assist of the season and both have come against Sacred Heart .
