By: J.J. Pavlick | Anaheim, CA | November 14, 2026 |
WEST POINT, N.Y. — The intensity was unmistakable inside Tate Rink on Saturday night. No. 18 Army West Point and Sacred Heart closed their Atlantic Hockey America weekend series with hard battles for possession, mounting frustration and special-teams pressure that repeatedly threatened to change the game. When the final horn sounded, the Black Knights had secured a 3-1 victory and completed the two-game sweep, leaving the Pioneers searching for answers on offense.
Army carried a 2-0 lead into the third period after a scoreless opening frame and a two-goal second. Gavin Bryant gave Sacred Heart life just 59 seconds into the final period, but the Pioneers could not find the equalizer. Jack Ivey’s late empty-net goal, assisted by Nils Forselius and Pierce Patterson, provided the final margin.
A Scoreless Opening Gives Way to Army’s Second-Period Breakthrough
The first period offered no goals, but the lack of scoring should not be mistaken for a lack of urgency. In a matchup with conference points at stake and an Army team defending its home ice, every puck battle carried importance. The Black Knights gradually imposed their defensive structure, contesting passing lanes and making clean entries and sustained offensive-zone possession difficult for Sacred Heart.
Army broke the deadlock with two goals in the second period. Rhys Wallin and Nils Forselius were among the Black Knights’ goal scorers, while the home side continued to force Sacred Heart into a game of narrow margins. The Pioneers, who had swept Canisius the previous weekend, entered the third period trailing by two and needing more than isolated chances to turn the contest around.
The final box score underscored the difficulty. Sacred Heart finished with 15 shots on goal to Army’s 18, despite attempting 31 shots overall. Army attempted 39. Both teams blocked attempts in volume, with Sacred Heart recording 16 blocks and Army eight, a reminder of how often shooting lanes disappeared before the puck reached a goaltender.
Ajeet’s Return to the Crease Keeps Sacred Heart in the Fight
Ajeet’s return in goal gave Sacred Heart a steady presence at the other end of the ice during a demanding night at Tate Rink. Army did not make life easy for the Pioneers, and with Sacred Heart struggling to generate offense through the opening 40 minutes, every stop mattered. The goaltender’s work helped keep the game close enough for a third-period response rather than allowing the deficit to grow beyond reach.
The scoreboard still read 2-0 after two periods, but that margin left Sacred Heart with a realistic route back into the contest. When Gavin Bryant scored 59 seconds into the third, the Pioneers were suddenly within one. Ajeet’s contribution should not be lost in the frustration of the defeat: his team needed more goals at the other end, but his presence helped ensure there was still a game to chase.
Bryant Strikes Early and Gives Sacred Heart a Way Back
Sacred Heart did not waste time answering in the third period. At 0:59, Gavin Bryant scored his third goal of the season at even strength, with Vitaly Levyy and Landen Gunderson drawing the assists. The goal cut Army’s lead to 2-1 and immediately changed the pressure on both benches.
Bryant described the play as a product of his linemates finding an opening rather than an isolated individual effort. “Yeah, it was a nice play, but Gundy got open for a chance. And then Veto made a nice play to me in front and just found a way to put it in,” he told Bad Dawg Sports J.J. Pavlick after the game.
For the Pioneers, the goal validated the belief that opportunities had been there even if the finishing had not. “I mean, I think we were generating all game and it was only a matter of time,” Bryant said. “They have a good team on that side, but I feel as though we had chances all game, and just unfortunately we couldn’t find more than one.”
The early third-period goal created a legitimate comeback opportunity, but Army did not unravel. The Black Knights protected the middle of the ice, kept the Pioneers from turning pressure into another goal and eventually sealed the result into an empty net.
Marottolo: Sacred Heart Must Win More Battles
Sacred Heart head coach C.J. Marottolo was direct about the underlying issue. His team had worked defensively but could not sustain the offensive pressure necessary to beat a nationally ranked conference opponent. “We are having a hard time right now creating offense right now,” Marottolo told Bad Dawg Sports J.J. Pavlick postgame. “I would say Army plays really hard in their DZone and do a good job taking away lanes… but at the end of the day we need to win more battles.”
That distinction is important. Army’s defensive organization was a factor, but Marottolo was not prepared to attribute the loss solely to the opponent. The Pioneers also needed to create more opportunities through contested pucks, better support, and quicker decisions after recovering possession.
Asked about the costly special-teams situations, Marottolo returned to a fundamental concern: “Our sense of urgency with the puck needed to be better.” In a game where the Pioneers went 0-for-4 on the power play, an extra skater did not translate into the offensive advantage they needed.
Special Teams Become a Central Story of the Weekend
Sacred Heart’s penalty kill did its job Saturday, holding Army scoreless on two power plays. The Pioneers also killed off every Army advantage in the weekend’s opening game, a positive Marottolo emphasized afterward. The power play was a different matter. Four opportunities Saturday yielded no goals, and Army’s aggressive penalty killing generated dangerous counterattacking situations.
Bryant did not try to disguise the issue. “I think it was just execution,” he said. “We weren’t ready for what they brought, both killing-wise and generating chances on the kill. That’s on us to build momentum through the power play.”
For Sacred Heart, that is the uncomfortable lesson of this series. A power play is supposed to tilt the ice, force defenders to react, and create momentum even when a goal does not follow. Against Army, the Pioneers too often had to worry about the threat coming the other way. Better puck support, more decisive movement, and cleaner entries will be essential before the next conference series.
Third-Period Push Falls Short Against a Disciplined Army Defense
Marottolo did see a response after the second intermission. “Down 2-0 in college hockey is not a big mountain to climb,” he said. “We just asked our guys to lay it on the line and win one shift at a time… I thought our guys pushed hard in the 3rd.”
The immediate payoff was Bryant’s goal, which arrived before the period was a minute old. “Yes, it was big to get that 1st one early in the 3rd… that gave our team a boost,” Marottolo said. But the Pioneers still needed another goal to draw level, and Army’s resistance held.
With the goaltender pulled late, Sacred Heart searched for a final chance. Army instead found the empty net, with Ivey scoring at 19:09 of the third period. The Black Knights completed the weekend sweep after winning Friday’s opener 5-2, a game in which Sacred Heart also struggled to turn late momentum into a result.
A Fiery Conference Series With Consequences Beyond November
Saturday’s game had the edge of a matchup between teams that understand the value of conference points. The Pioneers were willing to engage physically, Army fought to protect every inch of its defensive zone, and neither side found much uncontested space. Yet the competitive edge did not erase the difference between playing hard and executing consistently enough to win.
Bryant framed the two games as an early test with implications that extend into the winter. “We’re a heck of a squad,” he said. “And these games are just gut-check games and games where we just need to realize that even though they are early, they are so important point-wise when we come into crunch time come February and March.”
His confidence was consistent with the approach he described when asked about missed chances. “I mean, we have a good group and a confident group,” Bryant said. “Mistakes happen in hockey, but we have a whole bunch of guys that can make unbelievable plays. So yeah, it gets hard against teams, but we just keep trying to generate.”
Bad Dawg Sports Analysis: Defensive Effort Alone Will Not Carry Sacred Heart
There is a difference between being outplayed and being unable to turn competitive stretches into goals. Sacred Heart did enough defensively to remain within striking distance on Saturday, and its penalty kill was a bright spot. But the offense did not produce enough sustained pressure to reward that work. Fifteen shots on goal across 60 minutes is an exceptionally thin margin for a team trying to erase a two-goal deficit against a nationally ranked opponent.
Army deserves credit for forcing that problem. The Black Knights challenged lanes, defended their zone with purpose, and were willing to make Sacred Heart fight for every clean look. Their 35-29 advantage on faceoffs added to the territorial battle. Still, the Pioneers must own their side of the equation: win more puck battles, establish support below the circles, move the puck with greater urgency, and make the power play a source of momentum rather than vulnerability.
The third-period response is worth building on, not overvaluing. Bryant’s goal showed Sacred Heart could break through, but a single goal does not erase two periods without one. The Pioneers need to make their offensive game harder to defend over a full 60 minutes, not only when desperation demands it.
Marottolo’s closing assessment captured the tension between what his team did well and what must change. “Overall this weekend I thought we defended hard… our PK did a tremendous job, but as we move forward, we need to figure out how to create more offense,” he said. “We will dig into it this week, and I know this group of guys will respond.”
Army leaves Tate Rink with another statement weekend and valuable conference points. Sacred Heart leaves with a clear assignment. Its defensive foundation and competitive spirit are not enough by themselves; the next step is turning possession, urgency, and power-play opportunities into the goals required to beat the league’s best.
Game at a Glance
- Final: No. 18 Army 3, Sacred Heart 1
- Venue: Tate Rink, West Point, New York
- Period scoring: Sacred Heart 0-0-1; Army 0-2-1
- Shots on goal: Army 18, Sacred Heart 15
- Faceoffs won: Army 35, Sacred Heart 29
- Power play: Army 0-for-2; Sacred Heart 0-for-4
- Sacred Heart goal: Gavin Bryant (3), assisted by Vitaly Levyy and Landen Gunderson, 0:59 of the third period
- Late Army goal: Jack Ivey (5), empty net, assisted by Nils Forselius and Pierce Patterson, 19:09 of the third period
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