Army and AIC Skate to 1-1 Draw Thursday Night

Thursday, February 23

Springfield, MA

7:05 PM

Army West Point

17-11-5, 15-9-3AHC

AIC

7-18-8, 6-14-7AHC

OT 1

Army

AIC

Army and AIC Skate to 1-1 Draw Thursday Night

February 23, 2017 | Hockey

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Army West Point hockey team skated to a 1-1 draw at American Int'l Thursday night. The Black Knights took a 1-0 lead in the first period, but a late goal by the Yellow Jackets knotted up the score.

C.J. Reuschlein scored Army's lone goal with assists from Tipper Higgins and Alex Wilkinson.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army improves to a six-game unbeaten streak which dates back to Feb. 4, when the team skated to a 2-2 draw with Canisius.
Tonight's game was the Black Knights' seventh overtime game of the season and fifth tie.
Reuschlein's goal was his fourth of the season and 30th of the senior's career. It was also the fourth point in four games.
Higgins and Wilkinson each dished out assists for the second straight game. The helper was Higgins' sixth of the year and his career, while it was Wilkinson's 12th, a team high.
Cole Bruns made his first start in net of the 2016-17 season and made a game-high 27 saves. He amassed a .946 save percentage in the tie which was the second of his career.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Reuschlein netted the first goal of the game at the 8:44 mark of the first frame after a pipe shot minutes before.
Higgins passed the puck from the left corner up to Wilkinson who fired a shot that hit an AIC defender. Reuschlein was the one in front and banged home the loose shot.
To start off the second, Dominic Franco picked the puck off the Yellow Jackets' defensemen at Army's blue line and went on the breakaway. He attempted a quick move to the Zackarias Skog's glove side, but couldn't get it across the goal line.
Trevor Fidler jammed the puck in front at the end of the second period, but Skog flashed his glove to keep the game within one.
The Yellow Jackets stole the puck in the Black Knights' defensive zone, but Bruns was there to maintain Army's 1-0 lead.
After coincidental penalties, the game turned to 4-on-4 with Bruns making two quick saves before picking up a big save on Blake Christensen's breakaway.
However on the next play, AIC's Janis Jaks was able to convert a goal to tie things up 1-1 with 8:36 to go in regulation.
The Black Knights had a few attempts in the last minute with Alex Wilkinson shooting wide right then Conor Andrle jamming the puck into Skog.
Jaks attempted the game-winner in overtime from the blue line, but Bruns pushed the puck aside to keep the score knotted a 1-1.

TURNING POINT

The Black Knights scored in the first period, but were not able to convert again in the game. AIC's goal with 8:36 to go in the third stanza shifted the momentum of the game and pushed it into overtime.
Neither team was able to score in the extra five minutes and was halted in a 1-1 tie.

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