WESTPOINT, N.Y. Sophomore Bryant Christian (Moorhead, Minn.) tipped home the game-winning goal just 30 seconds into overtime to give American International College the, 3-2, victory over the United States Military Academy in game two of the best-of-three first round series in the Atlantic Hockey Championship Tournament this evening from Tate Rink.
This sets up the rubber match tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. with the winner advancing to next week's quarterfinals for the Jackets that means top-seeded Robert Morris and for the Black Knights it would be No. 3 Holy Cross.
Army (12-14-9) came out skating hard and playing physical and just when it looked as the game would be scoreless at the end of the first period the Cadets struck for a 4-on-4 goal. Off an offensive zone draw the puck was won back to junior Ryan Nick (Plymouth, Mass.) who skated into the slot and fired over the left shoulder of AIC sophomore net-minder Alex Murray (Burlington, Ont.) for the 1-0 lead at 19:00
West Point nearly made it a two-goal margin on their ensuing power-play as sophomore Tyler Pham (Fort Collins, Colo.) clanked the iron behind Murray on a blast from the point, but the puck stayed out of the net and the score remained 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes of play.
In the second the Black Knights again took advantage of open ice during a 4-on-4 chance as sophomore Conor Andrle (St. Louis Park, Minn.) sniped high glove-side on Murray from the right dot for the 2-0 lead at 6:40 of the stanza.
The Jackets (7-28-3) cut the deficit in half during a 4-on-3 power-play chance with good cycling starting down low with senior Chris Porter (Stouffville, Ont.). Then sophomore Andrew DeBrincat (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and junior Austin Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) cycled up top before Orszulak found himself alone by the left dot and he beat Army junior Parker Gahagen (Buffalo, N.Y.) short side under the blocker for the 2-1 score at 14:17.
West Point took a late penalty in the second period which gave AIC 1:44 of a man-advantage to open the third which they used to grab the equalizer. Freshman Johnny Mueller (St. Louis, Mo.) found sophomore Johno May (Mahtomedi, Minn.) skating hard up the right-wing boards and he fired a shot from the right dot that went off the right post and in past Gahagen' s glove for the 2-2 score at 1:42 of the frame.
Pham nearly helped the Black Knights escape with the victory late in the third period as he found himself all alone, but Murray got the pad on the shot at 17:40 keeping the game tied and sending it into extra time.
AIC wasted little time in the extra session as Mueller flicked one on net and coming from left to right across the net it was Christian who got the stick on it tipping it past Gahagen for the 3-2 victory.
Murray earned the win stopping 34 shots while Gahagen made 21 saves in the setback. Special teams were key for AIC as they collected a pair of power-play goals on six chances while holding Army 0-for-8 with the man-advantage.
