RYE, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team scored a goal in each period to earn a 3-2 victory over host Manhattanville College on Friday night. Utica sophomore forward Easton Powers (South Lyon, MI/Port Huron (NAHL)) netted a career-high two goals while junior Joel Wetmore (Horseheads, NY/Lindsay (OJHL)) and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) each added two assists in the victory.
The Pioneers have now won 11 of their last 14 meetings against the Valiants, including both of their meetings this season. Both teams turn right back around on Saturday night when they complete the season series at Manhattanville at 7 p.m.
The Pioneers are now 8-2-3 in their last 13 games and their record moved to 9-6-4 overall on the year. Utica also improved to 2-5-2 in ECAC West play. Manhattanville has lost three of its last four games and its record is now 7-8-4 on the year (2-6-1 ECAC West).
Powers’ opened the scoring midway through the first period when he tallied his second goal of the season off assists from McVeigh and Wetmore to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead at the 13:21 mark. Just 36 seconds later the home team knotted the score at 1-1 when Matt Coleman netted his third goal of the season for the Valiants. The score held and the first period ended in a 1-1 tie.
UC senior forward Peter LaFosse (Merrimack, NH/Kimball Union Academy) netted his seventh goal of the season just 1:50 into the second period to put the Pioneers on top 2-1. Freshman classmates Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and Vinny Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) were each credited with an assist on the LaFosse goal.
Powers’ then gave the Pioneers a commanding 3-1 lead 7:12 into the third period and he was assisted again by line mates Wetmore and McVeigh. Powers now ranks second on the team with 15 points this season (three goals, 12 assists). Wetmore moved into a tie for third on the team in scoring as he now has 14 points (five goals, nine assists).
The Valiants added a power-play goal with 10:50 left in the third period to make the score 3-2. The Utica defense held tight to the one goal advantage and fended off the Manhattanville comeback as the Pioneers earn the ECAC West victory. Junior goalie Dylan Wells (Nashville, TN/Bonnyville (AJHL)) stopped 22 shots, including 18 in the final 40 minutes as his record moved to 7-3-3 overall on the season.
Manhattanville goalie Brian Fleming stopped 35 shots as the Pioneers outshot the Valiants 38-24
