Head Coach Zach McKelvie was “Excited to get that first game out of the way,” Despite Exihbiton Loss to LIU

For the first time in 75 years, a “Riley” wasn’t the head man behind the bench for Army Hockey after Brian Riley retired following the 2024-2025 season. Last summer Army announced that Zach McKelvie would be promoted to head coach.

“West Point’s just near and dear to my heart, and it gave me an opportunity to excel as a hockey player, as a person. Same thing for my wife, who’s also a graduate. So for us to be able to be back here and give back to the cadets like this place gave to us is really special.”

McKlvie, a 2009 West Point graduate, began coaching at Army following his three-year professional hockey career with the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins (39 games) and Abbotsford Heat (65 games). Coach Z, as the players call him, returned to the post as an assistant under Brian Riley in the 2014-2015 season and has been a constant presence behind the bench for the next 11 seasons.

Army West Point News:

• Cataldo’s 38-Save Masterclass Leads Army to Shootout Win Over Union in Season Opener
• Head Coach Zach McKelvie was “Excited to get that first game out of the way,” Despite Exihbiton Loss to LIU
• Army Hockey Falls to LIU in Exhibition Finale Before Season Opener

Army opened up the 2025-2026 season, hosting Long Island University, coached by Brian’s son, Brendan, for an exhibition. As McKelvie called it after the game, it was a “win-win” for Brian. “His son was coaching on the other side against his team [Army], so whoever won the game, it was good for him. It was great to see him tonight.”

The game itself didn’t go the way that McKelvie hoped. Thanks to three goals in the first seven minutes of the second period, Army would fall 3-0 to the Sharks at Tate Rink. Fortunately for McKelvie and Army, the game doesn’t count towards their record.

“You know, early period goals really crushed us last year, McKelvie said following the loss. “I think we were 1-11 when we let up a goal in the first two minutes of a period last year, and obviously that happened tonight. So I think that was a huge momentum shift for them.”

There were some positives that McKelvie says they can take from this game and translate to the game Saturday against Union.

“Our forecheck was pretty good all night when we committed to it and got pucks below the goal line. I mean, you saw several shifts where we hemmed them in and got a series of shots and good looks. But we got to do it for 60 minutes.”

Army has a tough schedule to open the regular season as they head on the road to take on Union College on October 4th and then travel to Boston next weekend to play Northeastern on October 10th, in the final season of Matthews Arena, which was first opened in 1910.

It may be just his first season as head coach, but it’s clear that Zach McKelvie wants to lead this Army team to the program’s first Atlantic Hockey championship since 2007-2008. “We want to play great in October, but it’s all about learning and getting better, before we play our best hockey in February and March.”

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