Explosive Third Frame Spoils Bentley’s Opening Night

Friday, February 16

Waltham, MA

7:05 PM

Army West Point

12-12-6, 10-9-6

Bentley

11-15-6, 8-13-5

Army West Point

Bentley

Explosive Third Frame Spoils Bentley’s Opening Night

February 16, 2018 | Hockey

Box Score

WALTHAM, Mass. – After netting four goals in eight minutes, the Army West Point hockey team defeated Bentley 5-1 in the opening night of its new Arena. The Black Knights had four players with multi-point performances.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

The Black Knights gained two critical points with tonight's win over Bentley. The Black Knights have surpassed RIT with 26 points and are now tied for fourth.
Army has now amassed 10 wins in Atlantic Hockey contests. It is the second-straight season that the Black Knights have reached double-digit league wins.
Alex Wilkinson netted two goals for Army in the victory including the game-winner.
It was the sophomore's first-career multi-goal game.
He scored the first on the power play to mark his fourth of the year. Wilkinson also had an assist later in the game to finish with three points. It was Wilkinson's 13th power play point of the season.
He now boasts eight multi-point games.
His second goal was even strength and his fourth game-winner of the year and of his career.
Tyler Pham, Conor Andrle and Zach Evancho also scored in tonight's victory.
Pham finished the night with two points off the goal and an assist and inches closer to 100 points.
The senior now has 93 in his Army career and has 17 multi-point games.
Andrle is also close to the 100 point mark with 94 after tonight's two points off the p power play score and helper and has 19 multi-point games in his four years.
It was the third time this season that Army scored two man-advantage goals and for the second contest in a row.
Evancho scored his seventh of the year to bring his season point total to 14.
Tucker DeYoung assisted on back-to-back goals for Army to mark the freshman's first multi-assist performance.
He now totals five helpers on the year.
Nick DeCenzo was also on the score sheet with an assist to mark his fifth of the season.
John Zimmerman and Taylor Maruya added helpers in the Black Knights' effort. Zimmerman totals nine on the season and Maruya three.
Cole Bruns finished with 29 saves while allowing one and improves to 9-8-3 on the year.
The Black Knights killed off all six penalties and is now 10-for-10 on kills in the last two contests.
It was only the second time this season that Army topped an opponent when the other team scored first.
In those situations Army is now 2-10-3.
The Black Knights are 8-4-5 when scoring on the power play and is 3-0-1 when netting five or more goals.
Army is now 1-1-1 when opening new rinks under head coach Brian Riley.
Tonight's win was the second time this season that the Black Knights scored four unanswered goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED
PERIOD ONE (ARMY 0 – BENTLEY 0)

The energetic crowd at the new arena ensured a hot start for the Falcons peppering Bruns with shots.
Army and Bentley traded penalties five minutes into the period. Nothing came of it and the Black Knights then tested their man-up unit.
Evancho set up DeYoung on the doorstep, but Jayson Argue came up with the stop.
Army had another power play under the 10 minute mark, but did not get the score.
With just under five to play in the first period, Bruns' stick went flying, but Blake Box was able to help his teammate out before the Falcons got a shot off.

PERIOD TWO (ARMY 1 – BENTLEY 1)

Bentley scored three minutes into the second stanza. Tanner Jago took a shot from the blue line and the weird bounce got past Bruns.
Army answered back with a power play goal three minutes later to even the score.
Pham and Franco worked the puck around to Wilkinson who scored top shelf from almost an identical location to Bentley's player.
The remainder of the period featured back-and-forth penalties by the two squads.

PERIOD THREE (ARMY 5 – BENTLEY 1)

Army came out swinging right off the bat in the third period. Andrle tested Argue with a shot that rattled off his facemask.
Wilkinson scored his second to shelf goal of the game 2:27 in. He netted a wrister from the slot to give the Black Knights their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Pham followed suit with an impressive slapshot that stunned Argue and made it past the goal line.
Andrle and Evancho continued the scoring avalanche with two more back-to-back goals.
The Black Knights scored four goals in eight minutes to put Army ahead 5-1.

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