Kyle Wilson registered a natural hat trick as Colgate scored the game’s first six goals and went on to defeat Army, 6-1, Friday night in front of 1,524 spectators at Tate Rink at West Point.
Luke Flicek broke up Raiders’ goalie Mark Dekanich’s shutout bid, finishing off a beautifully executed power play opportunity with 33 seconds remaining in the third period. Aaron Anderson fed Casey Bickley at the point from the corner, and Bickley slid a touch pass down to Flicek, who was standing on the left post all alone. Army’s leading scorer one-timed Bickley’s pass into an open net as Dekanich hopelessly slid across the crease.
The tic-tac-toe goal was the Black Knights’ third power play goal of the season and Flicek’s first tally of the year. He extended his scoring streak to four straight games, pointing all of Army’s contests this season.
Colgate (2-1-1) jumped on Army (0-3-0) early with three very fortunate goals in the first period. Jesse Winchester opened the scoring at 7:45 when his pass across the goal mouth deflected off an Army defenseman’s skate and past goalie Brad Roberts. The Raiders tacked on two more markers off deflections before the period was out, leaving the Black Knights trailing 3-0.
“It was a strange night,” Army head coach Brian Riley said. “They certainly got all the bounces in the first period. In the locker room (during the first intermission), we really felt it was not a 3-0 game.
“But, I thought we did some good things tonight. Our power play moved the puck well.”
Wilson, who potted the Raiders’ third goal of the opening frame, christened the second 20 minutes with two goals in 2:24 that pushed the visitors’ lead to 5-0. Tyler Burton then piled on another just under three minutes later causing Riley to pull Roberts in favor of freshman A.J. Drago, making his collegiate debut.
Drago stopped 15 shots in 29:20 of action without allowing a goal the rest of the way. Roberts finished with just four saves on 10 Colgate shots.
“That was a nice confidence boost,” Riley added. “To come off the bench down 6-0 and looking at Colgate on the other side was a tough situation.”
The Black Knights finished 1-for-6 with the extra man, while the Raiders were 1-for-5. Dekanich went the distance in goal, making 21 saves to avenge a 3-2 setback to Army last October at Starr Rink.
Army travels to Troy, N.Y., Sunday for another non-league tilt against an ECACHL opponent when it takes on Rensselaer at 2 p.m. inside Houston Fieldhouse.
