Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
14-19-4
Canisius College (Game Three)
17-17-3
Hockey Falls in Game Three of Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
March 05, 2023 | Hockey
BUFFALO, NY – Army West Point hockey (14-19-4, 12-12-2 AHA) fell in a decisive game three to Canisius (17-17-3, 13-10-3 AHA) by a score of 3-0 in the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals.
Gavin Abric made 33 saves in net for Army before the Golden Griffins deposited into an empty net for the third tally which iced the game. Army was shut out for just the second time this season and scored one even strength goal throughout the series.
Mirroring yesterday's game two affair, the teams battled through a scoreless first period with shots even at eight apiece. Both teams struck pipe in the period, with Keaton Mastrodonato hitting the post for the Golden Griffins and Anthony Firriolo doing the same for Army with 3:XX left in the first.
Canisius struck first at the 1:35 mark of the second period, with Ryan Miotto taking a Mastrodonato pass at the left circle and firing into the top right corner past Abric to mark the first regulation goal in the series in five periods.
Army had its first power-play opportunity with just over three minutes remaining in the period, but were unable to produce a chance to test Jacob Barczewski in the Canisius goal. With a faceoff in the Army zone with eight seconds left in the period, Canisius was able to win the draw and send an Erik Urbank shot past Abric for backbreaking goal to make it 2-0 after two periods.
Army put forward its best effort in the third, but struggled to produce grade-A chances. The Black Knights headed to a power-play with 10:43 to go after three Canisius players and two from Army were sent to the box for after the whistle extracurriculars. Needing a goal, Army produced just one shot on target with Trevor Smith seeing a look saved. Eventually pulling Abric with just over three minutes to play, Stefano Bottini clinched the game and series for the Golden Griffins with an empty net tally to make it a 3-0 final.
.@Coach_BRiley reflects on Army's quarterfinal loss and the season as a whole#GoArmy pic.twitter.com/uEIcBGduKw
— Army Hockey (@ArmyWP_Hockey) March 6, 2023
