Black Knights Continue Hot Streak with OT Victory

Tuesday, February 9

West Point, NY

5:05 PM

Army West Point

8-5-1

Sacred Heart

4-7-1

OT 1

Sacred Heart

Army West Point

Black Knights Continue Hot Streak with OT Victory

February 09, 2021 | Hockey

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Thanks to an overtime tally on the power play from junior forward Eric Butte, the Army West Point hockey team has earned league points in seven-straight contests after a 2-1 victory at home against Sacred Heart on Tuesday night.

Army is riding a six-game unbeaten streak, which is tied with Minnesota-Duluth and Bemidji State for tops in the nation. Army is 5-0-1 in those games and is 7-1-1 in its last nine games.

"In tonight's game, whoever was going to make the last play was going to win the game and obviously that was a huge power play goal," head coach Brian Riley said. "Sacred Heart is a team that we will be battling at the end and you control your own destiny when you can beat these teams in head-to-head games."

The Black Knights took advantage of their power play opportunities, going 2-for-3 on the night, while the penalty kill kept the Pioneers off the board on four chances.

Butte was once again the man with scoring touch as he scored his third goal in two games and his second gamewinner in a row. He finished with two points on the night and four during the series.

The gamewinner came on the power play with 2:53 left in overtime as Butte camped out at the side of the net and John Zimmerman found him with a nice touch pass from the high slot and Butte redirected it home for the victory.

"The three guys up top did a great job moving the puck, John Zimmerman made a great feed and I just had to redirect it," Butte said about the winner. "It was a great effort from the boys out there to finish the job and keep our winning streak going."

The Black Knights took the first lead of the game for the second night in a row with Lincoln Hatten scoring a power play goal from an odd angle to put Army on top 21-0 with 6:39 on the clock in the first. Butte and Mitch Machlitt were given assists on the play.

Sacred Heart answered back with a goal in the second period by Kevin Lombardi with assists to Marc Johnstone and Patrick Dawson, which tied the game with 14:17 left in the second.

The Black Knights faced the Pioneers for four-straight games came away with 10 of the 12 possible points, going 3-0-1, with an extra point coming from a shootout victory last week. Army has now played 12 league games and sits in third place with 23 points.

HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTES:

Army is unbeaten in its last seven league games.
Against Sacred Heart this season, Army has taken 10 of a possible 12 league points.
The Black Knights are riding a six-game unbeaten streak, which is the longest since the 2016-17 season.
Butte came into the weekend with one career multi-point game and had two in two games.
Army now has 13 power play goals on the season by seven different skaters.
Bilek extended his point-scoring streak to six games and has at least a point in 10 of his last 11 games with 10 goals and five assists for 15 points.
Kozlowski is now unbeaten in his last eight starts.
Kozlowski has given up two or less goals in his last seven starts and Army is 6-0-1 in those games.
Tonight's victory was the first overtime win of the season for the Black Knights.

UP NEXT: The Black Knights are back in action this weekend with another home-and-home series. Army heads to Bentley on Friday night and then welcomes the Falcons to West Point on Saturday evening.