After 18 years, RMC Paladins beat West Point in overtime
February 6, 2020 - Defence Stories
Caption
RMC Paladins celebrate a long-awaited victory over the USMA Black Knights in downtown Kingston on January 18, 2020. The 3-2 win over USMA was the first win for the Canadians since 2002 in the hockey rivalry between the two military academies dating back to 1923.
Photo credit: MCpl Rod Doucet
After 18 years of rivalry, the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins won 3-2 in overtime against long-standing hockey opponents the army Black Knights from the United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, New York.
The Paladins hadn’t won a game in the historic series since 2002.
The game, held January 18, 2020 in Kingston, Ont., marked the 84th meeting between the two military academies, whose rivalry dates back to 1923 and represents the longest continuously running international hockey competition.
“It’s tough to put into words right now,” Paladins head coach Richard Lim said. “I don’t think I’ve really grasped how awesome the guys played and what it means to the school.”
RMC took the better part of 20 minutes to find their legs against the Americans, who are ranked second in their National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 conference of the Atlantic Hockey Association. The Black Knights opened the scoring on the power play midway through the first period.
“West Point’s a really good team,” Lim said. “Their details are awesome, and we knew we had to match that.”
RMC evened the score late in the second period and took the lead early in the third. However, even with 1,952 Paladins fans willing the clock to wind down, West Point tied the game late in the third, setting up sudden-death, three-on-three overtime.
Caption
Members of the victorious RMC Paladins hockey team gather at centre ice with the USMA Black Knights following the latest installment in the world’s longest continuously running international hockey competition, which resulted in a 3-2 win for the Paladins.
Photo credit: MCpl Rod Doucet
Fans of both sides could hardly contain their excitement as the teams traded breakaway chances in the first 30 seconds.
With 1:28 left in the game, the Paladins collected the puck in their end, gained speed through the neutral zone, and crashed the Black Knights net. The point-blank chance was denied, but the rebound came all the way out to Paladins defenceman OCdt Cole Noble, who walked in from the point to wrist it home for the win.
The goal sent the hometown Kingston crowd into a frenzy as students, family, alumni, and friends celebrated RMC’s first win over West Point in 18 years.
As the fanfare moved from the ice to the dressing room, Lim credited his team’s composure in the late stages of the game.
“When they tied it up with five minutes left, there wasn’t any panic on the bench,” he said. “All 22 guys stepped up and played their hearts out. I’m unbelievably proud of every guy that’s in that dressing room right now.”
While today’s members of the RMC team celebrate their accomplishment on the ice, they have also rekindled a spark in the more than 50 hockey alumni who returned to Kingston for the West Point game. As a former Paladin himself, Lim let his team know that this was more than just a win.
“I told all those guys, ‘this is something you’ll remember forever.’”