Hockey Falls 4-1 to Penn State in Inaugural Capital Hockey Classic

Thursday, December 12

Washington, D.C.

8:00 PM

Army West Point

5-11-0

Penn State University

7-9-0

Penn St.

Army West Point

Hockey Falls 4-1 to Penn State in Inaugural Capital Hockey Classic

December 12, 2024 | Hockey

Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Army West Point hockey (5-11-0, 5-7-0 Atlantic Hockey America) fell by a score of 4-1 to the Penn State Nittany Lions (7-9-0, 0-8-0 Big Ten) from Capital One Arena in the Inaugural Capital Hockey Classic.

Penn State jumped out to a 3-0 lead late in the second period as the deficit was too much to overcome for the Black Knights.

Joey Baez scored the lone goal for Army off an assist from Brent Keefer as JJ Cataldo made 26 saves in net for the Black Knights.

The Nittany Lions got off to a quick start with Jimmy Dowd Jr. finding the back of the net in just 87 seconds on a shot from the blue line as Cataldo was screened in front.

Army battled through the rest of the period as neither team found another goal, with Penn State outshooting the Black Knights 11-7 in the frame.

The Black Knights came out as the stronger side in the second period, firing seven shots on goal compared to one for PSU in the opening ten minutes.

Penn State made the most of its chances, doubling its lead with just under seven minutes to play in the second as Dylan Lurgis entered the zone and fired home a shot from the left circle with Ben Schoen and Simon Mack earning the assist.

The first penalty of the game was not taken until there were less than four minutes remaining in the second period, with Army getting the first power-play opportunity of the game.

However, a giveaway in the Army defensive zone led to Aiden Fink feeding Reese Laubach for a shorthanded goal to make the game 3-0.

Army maintained possession on the power-play, with Joey Baez eventually getting the goal back off a feed from Brent Keefer just seconds after the power-play expired with his third goal of the season. The Nittany Lions were outshot 17-6 in the middle frame but took a 3-1 lead into the third.

The Black Knights took a too many men on the ice penalty to begin the final 20 but killed off their first man-disadvantage of the game.

Penn State continued to nurse its two-goal lead, with Army pulling Cataldo with just under three minutes remaining. Laubach netted his second of the game on the empty net to put the contest to rest, as the Nittany Lions came away with a 4-1 victory.

The game wrapped up the first half of the season for Army as the Black Knights will return to action on Saturday, December 28th at Tate Rink to take on Princeton. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m.