Talk about setting the tone. No. 8 Army delivered a knockout blow to No. 16 Yale before many fans even settled into their seats. Will Coletti, winning the opening face-off, sprinted downfield and fired a shot past Yale's stunned keeper just six seconds into the game. That opening salvo ignited a 14-3 Army demolition, a statement victory that leaves Yale reeling.
This long-awaited clash, the first meeting between these programs in over 20 years, quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Army's relentless attack, fueled by a balanced scoring effort, propelled them to a commanding 7-0 lead. Six different Black Knights found the back of the net in that opening surge.
Freshman sensation Brayden Fountain followed Coletti's lightning strike with his ninth goal of the season. He then turned provider, setting up Evan Plunkett for a quick goal. Grant Masterson and Jackson Eicher added to the tally within a 65-second span, showcasing Army's blistering pace. Gunnar Fellows capitalized on a man-up opportunity, and Fountain struck again, leaving Yale shell-shocked.
Yale's lone bright spot came from Jack Stuzin's underhand goal, but the reprieve was short-lived. A turnover gifted Fellows a one-on-one chance, and he made no mistake, pushing Army's lead to 9-2 before halftime.
Coletti dominated the face-off circle, winning 10 of 18, while Yale's Machado Rodriguez struggled, going 6 of 14. Fellows and Fountain each recorded hat tricks, and Eicher tallied four points. Army's offensive depth was on full display, with eight different players finding the scoresheet. Goalie Sean Byrne was stellar, registering 16 saves.
Army, now 3-0, heads into a less demanding portion of their schedule with momentum surging. Yale, meanwhile, faces a daunting stretch against four consecutive ranked opponents, needing to find answers quickly after an 0-2 start.
