Waltham, MA — Army West Point hockey (3-2-3, 1-2-2 Atlantic Hockey America) earned its third tie of the season and second shootout victory Friday night in a hard-fought 3-3 battle at Bentley (4-3-1, 4-0-1 Atlantic Hockey America). Sophomore forward Nils Forselius netted the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout, while goaltender JJ Cataldo stood tall with 36 saves to secure the extra point for the Black Knights.
The back-and-forth contest at Bentley Arena featured six lead changes, clutch power-play goals, and a dramatic overtime period before Forselius found the back of the net to give Army the 1-0 shootout win.
First Period: Army Dominates Shots, Bentley Strikes First
Army controlled the puck throughout the opening frame, outshooting the Falcons 15-5, but Bentley capitalized on home ice advantage when Michael Mesic scored with 2:28 remaining in the first period to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Jake Black and Tobias Larsen assisted on the even-strength goal.
The Black Knights refused to fold under pressure. With just 35 seconds left in the period, Forselius tied the game at 1-1 with his first goal of the season on the power play. Barron Woodring and Jack Ivey assisted on the crucial late-period goal that sent the teams into the first intermission tied.
Second Period: Zueger Gives Army Lead, Bentley Responds
Army seized a 2-1 lead just 4:41 into the second period when Easton Zueger held the puck in the left-hand faceoff circle and slipped a shot past Bentley goaltender Nicholas Bevilacqua. Nik Hong and Owen Nolan assisted on Zueger’s first goal of the season.
The Falcons answered with a last-second power-play goal as Kellan Hjartarson tied the game at 2-2 with 0.6 seconds remaining in the period. Jake Black and Stephen Castagna assisted on the goal that knotted the score heading into the second intermission.
Third Period: Drama and Power-Play Heroics
Bentley regained the lead 4:28 into the third period when Chase Davis scored on the power play to make it 3-2. David Helledy and Ryan Upson assisted on the go-ahead goal that gave the Falcons momentum.
Army’s power play answered the challenge midway through the period. At the 8:48 mark, Woodring chipped in a goal on the doorstep following a beautiful sequence of passes between Forselius and Jack Ivey to tie the game at 3-3. The game-tying power-play goal shifted momentum back to the Black Knights.
Despite a flurry of shots from both teams in the final minutes, neither side could break the deadlock, sending the game to overtime.
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Overtime: Cataldo Stands Tall
The five-minute overtime period featured intense action at both ends, with Cataldo facing a barrage of Bentley shots. The sophomore netminder remained composed and made several critical saves to preserve the tie and send the game to a shootout.
Shootout: Forselius Delivers in Round Four
The shootout remained scoreless through the first three rounds as both goaltenders stood tall. Vincent Salice, Dylan Wegner, and Barron Woodring all skated to center ice for Army but were denied by Bevilacqua.
In the fourth round, Forselius stepped up and delivered. Following advice from Cataldo about Bevilacqua’s tendencies, the sophomore roofed the puck to give Army the 1-0 shootout victory and the extra point in the Atlantic Hockey America standings.
“Jack Riley gave me the tap to go before Bentley’s last player went to shoot, so honestly, I was just hoping he didn’t score—that would’ve been a tough spot to be in,” Forselius said. “I was told by our goalie, JJ Cataldo, that their goalie dropped and to finish high. So, I kind of went in looking to roof the puck, and I’m just glad it worked out.”
Power Play Proves Decisive
The Black Knights’ power play was the difference-maker Friday night, scoring two goals on four opportunities. Head coach Zach McKelvie praised the unit’s performance in critical moments.
“The power play was huge for us tonight; they definitely had much of our key moments tonight,” McKelvie said. “Bentley’s power play was hot tonight and has been hot, and they got one late after already scoring two, and our guys had some huge blocks, which gives the team a lot of momentum.”
Assistant coach Jack “Coach Z” Zulkeski echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the unit’s recent momentum.
“Power play has driven a lot of our offense recently, and they certainly did tonight,” Coach Z said. “Bentley went up 3-2 and had the momentum, but our power play came up big to get the game to overtime. Momentum is big for power plays, and right now we have some momentum.”
Forselius, who finished with two points (one goal, one assist), credited the coaching staff for the power play’s success.
“The power play has been great so far; both units have been producing,” Forselius said. “All the credit goes to our power play coach, Jack Riley. He’s putting us out there with the plays and ideas to make things happen, and we are just carrying them out. Confidence is everything on the man-up, and we have that right now and look to keep it going.”
Cataldo’s Stellar Performance
Cataldo’s 36-save performance marked his fourth game this season with at least 30 saves. The sophomore goaltender posted a .923 save percentage and was instrumental in keeping Army in the game during Bentley’s offensive surges, particularly in overtime.
“Our power play stood out as well as JJ Cataldo; both played well in big moments,” McKelvie said. “That’s what you want in games like these—your best players to step up in those moments.”
Building Team Identity
In his eighth game as head coach, McKelvie reflected on the team’s growth and development.
“Well, we are still learning a lot about ourselves, but we are starting to build trust amongst each other and buying into our team identity a little more each game,” McKelvie said. “This will be something we have to work on all year, but some positive signs so far. For me personally, it has been a much different role, and learning that the team feeds off the coaching staff’s energy has been an adjustment.”
Coach Z praised the team’s resilience and competitive spirit in a tightly contested game.
“It was a good game overall on both sides,” Coach Z said. “I thought we had some decent looks in the first and they controlled much of the second, so you have to understand that the third is going to be a hard-fought, competitive period and our guys competed well to get the game to overtime and then ultimately the extra point in the shootout.”
Road Warriors
Army has not lost in regulation on the road through the first four road games of the season, earning valuable points in hostile environments.
“Our league is always tight and highly competitive, so of course you want three points, but taking away points each night is important and hard to do,” Coach Z said. “We still have a long way to go, but I have really liked our commitment to finding our game and identity.”
Forselius’ Breakout Season
The sophomore forward is enjoying a breakout campaign, recording a point-per-game pace through eight games. Forselius was quick to credit his linemates and coaching staff for his success.
“So far, this year has been great,” Forselius said. “I can’t take too much credit because my production is all a product of the people around me. My two linemates, Ben Ivey and Jack Ivey, I wouldn’t have the production I have without them. They are so easy to play with.”
Forselius also praised the coaching staff’s impact on his development.
“My coaching staff has given me so many opportunities and looks to produce, specifically Jack Riley,” Forselius said. “He was an unbelievable hockey player in his time with Mercyhurst, so I look to try and translate some of the things he’s taught me. Finally, Coach Z—he’s had a lot of hard talks with me and I couldn’t be the player I am without his coaching and help. He’s an unbelievable coach and person. Under his leadership, expect big things to come!”
By the Numbers
- Shots on Goal: Bentley 39, Army 31
- Power Play: Army 2-for-4, Bentley 2-for-4
- Penalties: Both teams had 6 penalties, 12 penalty minutes
- Faceoffs: Bentley 41, Army 38
- Saves: Cataldo 36, Bevilacqua 28
Three Black Knights recorded multi-point nights: Forselius (1G, 1A), Woodring (1G, 1A), and Jack Ivey (2A).
Army improves to a 2.3 goals-against average this season, while the tie brings the all-time series record to 38-37-16 in favor of the Black Knights. The series dates back to 1981.
Looking Ahead: Rematch at Tate Rink
Army will welcome Bentley to Tate Rink on Sunday, November 9, for the second half of the home-and-home series. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. ET.
“For the next game, we anticipate another competitive game against a team we feel is the most well-rounded team in the league, so we will have to be better,” McKelvie said.
Forselius emphasized the team’s belief and desire to finish games in regulation.
“This was a huge win for the team,” Forselius said. “Everyone in the locker room has huge belief in our team and program this year. It doesn’t matter who we are playing; we always go in with the confidence that we can win the game. There’s still so much more for our team—a shootout win is great, but we need to finish games in regulation.”
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