Hockey Falls in Overtime at Union to Open Season

Sunday, October 6

Schenectady, NY

4:00 PM

Army West Point

0-1-0

Union College

1-0-0

OT 1

Army West Point

Union (NY)

Hockey Falls in Overtime at Union to Open Season

October 06, 2024 | Hockey

Box Score

SCHENECTADY, NY - Army West Point hockey (0-1) opened the 2024-25 season with a 4-3 defeat in overtime at Union College (1-0) on Sunday afternoon.

The Black Knights erased three different deficits throughout the game to force the overtime period, answering each of Union's three goals in regulation. John Prokop netted the overtime winner for the Garnet Chargers 58 seconds into the extra frame.

Senior Joey Baez had a goal and assist to lead the way while sophomores Nik Hong and Barron Woodring each logged goals in the season-opener. Senior Evan Szary made key saves down the stretch for Army and recorded 30 total saves in the contest.

The game stood scoreless for just over two minutes before Union tabbed its opening goal of the season with Nate Hanley scoring on a deflection off a Ben Muthersbaugh pass. Army took the first penalty of the game at the 11:24 mark but the Garnet Chargers would send a skater to the box moments later to set up an extended four-on-four stretch. Union attempted to clear the puck from its own end, with Joey Baez intercepting the errant pass before gathering and firing past Kyle Chauvette in the Union goal to tie the score up at one.

Army was outshot 13-6 through the opening twenty minutes but went into the locker room with the score knotted at one.

Extracurriculars after the final whistle of the first period led to two minutes of four-on-four play to begin the second frame with Army then having a three-minute power play due to a facemasking major on the home side. Army could not capitalize but were quickly tasked with a five-on-three, in which they executed quickly as Nik Hong tucked home the equalizing goal off a shot from Baez.

The Black Knights went back to the power play after a too many men on the ice penalty from Union, but Carter Korpi was able to take a breakaway shorthanded and score to put the Garnet Chargers back ahead 3-2 with 4:19 left in the second period. The score remained 3-2 into the third frame.

Army got its first five-on-five goal of the season to erase its third deficit of the game, as a centering pass from Vincent Salice found Barron Woodring right in front of Chauvette as Woodring slammed home the third tally of the game for Army.

Army enjoyed its most productive period in terms of pucks on net in the third, firing seven times on Chauvette. Both teams stayed out of the penalty box for the final twelve minutes as neither side ceded a grade A chance to potentially lose the game in regulation. Sixty minutes was indeed not enough as the game went into overtime for the second time in the fixture in the last three years.

Szary made a pair of big saves early after Union won the opening draw, but Prokop was set up by Colby McArthur for the game-winning goal less than a minute into play.

Joey Baez collected a goal and assist for a multi-point effort to begin his senior campaign.
Baez has scored the first goal of the season for the Black Knights in each of the last three campaigns.
Evan Szary recorded 30 saves between the pipes for Army including two in overtime.
Barron Woodring netted his sixth career goal off an assist from Vincent Salice.
Nik Hong scored on the power-play with an assists coming from Baez and Brent Keefer.
Nils Forselius, Adam Marshall, Sam Groebner and Jack Ivey each made their collegiate debuts for the Black Knights.
Marshall registered his first career point with an assist.
Army finished 1-6 on the power-play and killed off all three of Union's man-advantages.

Army will head north to play #12 Maine in an exhibition contest on Saturday, October 12th with puck drop set for 2:00 p.m. Army's next regular season contest will come at Holy Cross for a two-game conference series on October 19-20.