Hockey Skates Past Canisius

Friday, November 27

Buffalo, NY

4:05 PM

Army West Point

2-6-3, 1-5-3AHC

Canisius

3-9-0, 3-4-0AHC

Army West Point

Canisius

Hockey Skates Past Canisius

November 27, 2015 | Hockey

Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Tyler Pham tallied two points and goalie Parker Gahagen stopped 37 shots as the Army hockey team defeated Canisius, 3-1, on Friday evening at the Harborcenter.

The Black Knights (2-6-3, 1-5-3 AHA) earned their first league victory with Pham scoring the gamewinner in the second period. Josh Roberts got the scoring started with his first of the year, while Brendan McGuire closed the game out with an insurance tally on the power play in the third period.

Gahagen stopped 37 shots with 16 in the first period and 13 in the last frame. He stoned Shane Conacher on a penalty shot when the Golden Griffins were looking to go on top early in the second period.

"There were times during the game where we were on our heels and he made some huge stops," head coach Brian Riley said. "Especially on the penalty shot, but overall it was a great team effort."

Riley also said it was good to see Pham score his first of the season.

"He was impressive tonight," Riley said. "He has been playing well and has been getting chances, the puck just hasn't gone in and you could tell once the puck went in that he had the weight of the world off his shoulders."

Canisius (3-9-0, 3-4-0 AHA) saw Dylan McLaughlin score its lone goal of the night with assists to Chamberlain and Nolan Sheeran. Reilly Turner pushed aside 22 shots in the loss for the Golden Griffins.

Army broke the ice first with Roberts scoring his first of the season on a breakaway in the second period. After a breakaway from each team and a penalty shot prior to his tally, the senior forward capitalized on a miscue in the neutral zone by the Griffs. He picked up a loose puck and drove the net with a move from his forehand to the backhand and the puck trickled across the line for the 1-0 lead for the Black Knights.

Pham tallied his first of the season with less than three minutes left in the middle frame to give Army a 2-0 advantage. Conor Andrle did a great job getting the puck behind the net and shoveled the puck to Pham in the slot and he buried it.

Canisius answered 15 seconds later with McLaughlin finishing an odd-man rush for the Golden Griffins. Chamberlain found the forward with an impressive pass and he got the home team within one heading into the final period.

Army added some needed insurance with McGuire jamming home a rebound in front on the power play late in the third period. Ryan Nick put a shot on net that Turner got a piece of, but the netminder was turned around and McGuire found the loose puck for the 3-1 lead. The goal was Army's fifth on the power play in the last three games and it was the final goal of the contest as the Black Knights earned the 3-1 win.

Army went 1-for-3 on the power play and held Canisius off the board on four chances. The home team outshot Army, 38-25.

The two teams are back on the ice tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m. at the Harborcenter. The game will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable Sports.

Ice Shavings: This was the 50th all-time meeting between Army and Canisius … previous to this afternoon's contest, the series has been split through the last eight meetings … Buffalo native Gahagen made his eighth start of the season … the netminder made 16 saves in the first period, which tied a season-high for stops in a frame … Army scored first for the third time this season … Pham and Roberts each scored their first goal of the season and Army has 21 goals by 13 different skaters … Army has five power play goals in its last 15 opportunities with the extra skater.