UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The last time a hockey game ended in a tie at Nassau Coliseum it was April 4, 2004 and the New York Islanders played the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-3 draw.
It took nearly 14 years, but the Sacred Heart Pioneers and Army West Point Black Knights now hold that distinction after Friday’s 3-3 tie in Uniondale. The game was just the second hockey game to take place at the renovated Nassau Coliseum and the first collegiate hockey game played in the building since it underwent a 20-month, $165 million facelift.
“The building is fantastic,” Army head coach Brian Riley said after the game. “Really, really impressed and I thought it was a good turnout. It helped create energy in the building. No doubt this was a real good experience.”
Not only was the game a good experience, as coach Riley put it, but it was also a homecoming of sorts for several Pioneer players. Freshman defenseman Michael Gilroy grew up just minutes away from Nassau Coliseum in North Bellmore, N.Y.
Gilroy played for the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders and his brother Matt Gilroy was no stranger to Coliseum ice having played in parts of six seasons in the NHL.
“It was a dream come true,” Gilroy said. “Obviously the goal is to play Division I hockey and I got to play it on Long Island where I grew up playing. It was a lot of, really cool and you kind of feel like a professional for a day or two.”
Pioneers freshman forward Marc Johnstone was also quite familiar with the venue having grown up in nearby New Jersey and being a fan of one of the Islanders’ chief rivals, the New Jersey Devils. And walking into a locker room that his favorite player – Patrik Elias – once used was a unbelievable experience for him.
“Just knowing that he was in there it’s like kind of surreal,” Johnstone said. “It’s nice just to know this is the next step and hopefully some of us can come play here again.”
Johnstone had an Elias like moment in the second period when Hunter Fargey sent a quick pass to Johnstone just as he was exiting the penalty box to set him up for a breakaway. The freshman capitalized to give Sacred Heart a 3-2 lead at 7:58 of the second period.
The goal was Johnstone’s seventh of the season.
“Hunter Fargey made a great play to headman the puck,” Johnstone said. “Luckily I shot it and it just happened to go in. It was a good feeling.”
The goal looked as though it would be the game-winner, but the Black Knights responded in the third period by capitalizing on a too many men on the ice penalty by the Pioneers. It was Army West Point forward Michael Wilson who scored the equalizer to pull the score even at three.
Saturday was the second game that Army West Point and the Pioneers have played to a draw. The two clubs played to a 5-5-overtime tie on November 21 at Webster Bank Arena.
“I think they play a similar style to us,” Black Knights’ forward Zach Evancho said. “Both teams like to just get in and get after it. Grind it out and then try to finish on your chances. It’s always fun to play them.”
Vito Bavaro opened the scoring for Sacred Heart with a blast from the point at the 10:27 mark of the first period.
Army West Point responded Just over two minutes later and potted two goals in a span of 1:06 to take a 2-1 lead. Dominic Franco scored for the Golden Knights at 12:42 to even the score at one and then Evancho scored on the power play to give his team a 2-1 lead.
The Pioneers evened up the score 4:16 into the second period when a shot from Zach Tsekos found its way into the net.
