60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Army West Point

Army West Point

2018-19 Record: 12-20-7 (8-13-7, 10th in Atlantic Hockey)
Head Coach: Brian Riley, 15th Year
Top returning scorer: Zach Evancho (10G-19A)
Top returning goaltenders: Jared Dempsey (Jr.), Trevin Kozlowski (Jr.) and Matt Penta (Sr.)

Our trip through Atlantic Hockey country continues with a visit to the Hudson River and West Point. Army enters the fray having finished last season on a high note. 

The Black Knights ended up being the only road team to win a best-of-three first-round playoff series, sweeping Wednesday's featured school, Mercyhurst. Army West Point also took a road playoff victory from eventual AHA postseason champions American International before falling in the deciding third game.

Oddly enough, the final series against AIC ended up being the only occasion all season when the Black Knights had a victory sandwiched around two losses. Otherwise it a streaky year full of split series. Streaks of five games going unbeaten surrounded by a two-game and three-game losing streak to start the year. Fittingly for the military, there's also a weekend where Army and Air Force had no winner and tied twice (two of Amry's seven ties on the season).

What's New: Vegas, baby, Vegas!

Army West Point will be one of four teams playing in the 2020 Ice Vegas Invitational. (2019 Frozen Four semifinalist Providence is another. Ohio State and Cornell reportedly fill out the January 3-4 tournament lineup at T-Mobile Arena.) If the lineup holds, the Black Knights automatically will face two teams who made the 2019 NCAA Tournament. 

In fact, the rest of Army's non-conference schedule is so money. Union and New Hampshire both travel to Tate Rink. The Black Knights, meanwhile, head north of the border to face the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario for an exhibition game. Throw in two Atlantic Hockey games against rival Air Force at home in between trips to Vegas and Canada, and January 2020 should be as much fun as one is allowed in the Army.

The team welcomes eight new cadets with four forwards, three defenders and a goaltender. 

Closing Thoughts: Ending up below-.500 for the first time in four seasons, there are signs Army recovered from losing its goalie, much of its blue line and several top players on 2017-18's squad. The Black Knights will be returning for 2019-20 five of its top six scorers plus Michael Wilson, whose season was limited to 16 games due to injuries. All three goaltenders in Riley's platoon have eligibility remaining.

It also speaks to the Black Knights that Army is the first team in this series to end 2018-19 with a positive shot margin. The margin improved down the stretch as the team finished 4-4-2 over its final 10 games.

Riley's team does need to replace All-Atlantic Hockey Second Team defender and co-captain Dalton MacAfee. He's the only blue line departure, however. In theory that should help given that the Black Knights gave up on average almost a half goal more per game last season than 2017-18. In a three goalie platoon, no goaltender ended with a .900% save percentage or higher. Having some consistency throughout the lineup - along with cutting down on allowing 3 goals per game - should hopefully create fewer losing streaks.

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