WEST POINT, N.Y. – Three first period goals and a lights out performance by sophomore Kyle Chauvette were the difference makers for the Union College men's hockey team as they defeated Army West Point, 6-0, in the season opener on Sunday afternoon at Tate Rink.

Chauvette made several big saves in the win, stopping all 19 shots on goal for his second career shutout.

The last time Union scored six goals and recorded a shutout was on January 28, 2023, when Union blanked RPI in the Mayor's Cup. The last shutout in a season opener occurred exactly 13 years ago on October 8, 2013, a 9-0 shutout of Sacred Heart University.

Union out shot the Black Knights 46-19. Union's last game where they took 40 or more shots on goal was on January 12, 2019 when the Union put 54 shots on net.

Five players recorded multi-point games in the win. Seniors Chaz Smedsrud and Ville Immonen, sophomore John Prokop, and junior Caden Villegas all scored a goal and an assist. Junior Josh Nixon tallied a pair of helpers.

Sophomore Carter Korpi tallied his first career shorthanded goal and senior Tyler Watkins closed out the goal scoring with a tally in the final frame. First-year Joseph Messina registered his first collegiate point, an assist, on Villegas' goal in the second period.

Union opened the scoring at 8:55 and never looked back. Villegas dished a pass from the left side boards to Nixon in front. The junior redirected the pass to Prokop who was low in the right-wing circle who fired it past Gavin Abric.

Smedsrud found the net at 14:51 of the opening frame. Sophomore Nate Hanley sent the puck around the end boards to Prokop at the top of the right-wing circle. Prokop fired a shot on net, but the puck bounced loose in traffic. Smedsrud made a behind-the-back backhanded shot that went bar down past Abric to make it 2-0.

Korpi added to the opening period scoring with his first career shorthanded goal. Senior Ben Tupker intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and sent a pass bouncing off the neutral zone wall where Korpi picked it up. The sophomore raced up open ice on a breakaway and picked the top left corner for the score.

After a back-and-forth affair to open the second period, Villegas found the back of the net to put the visitors up 4-0. Sophomore Brandon Buhr drew Abric to the left side of the net before sending a centering pass to Villegas who roofed it for his first of the year.

With under 2:30 to go in the second period, Union found the net again. Racing up the ice, Smedsrud sent a pass backwards to Immonen. The Finnish forward ripped a shot from the slot that rung the iron.

Watkins capped off the scoring in the final stanza. Skating up the ice on a three-on-two, Immonen dished a pass from center ice to Watkins racing up the left side boards. The senior sent a wrister from the center of the left-wing circle and picked the corner for the score.

Abric made 27 saves through 40 minutes of play. Evan Szary took over in net for the third period and made 13 saves in relief.

Union heads west this week for a two-game series at Colorado College. The Garnet Chargers will reunite with Kris Mayotte '06 on Friday at Ed Robson Arena beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.