FREDONIA, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team won its seventh straight season opener on Friday night as the Pioneers topped host Fredonia State 6-2 to kick off their 2016-17 campaign. Utica jumped out to a 3-0 lead, before allowing two consecutive Fredonia tallies, but the Pioneers were able to seal the four goal victory after netting three unanswered goals in the final 12:09 of the third period.
Utica’s Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) registered a team-high two goals and chipped in with one assist, while Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) was impressive in his sophomore debut as he netted two goals for the Pioneers. Union College transfer Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) added two helpers, as did junior defender Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), to help the Pioneers improve to 1-0 on the season.
UC returns to the ice on Saturday night for the ‘Parkway Drugs Home Opener’ at the Utica Memorial Auditorium (7 p.m.) when the Pioneers take on Plymouth State in non-conference action.
Utica opened up a 2-0 first period lead behind goals from Roberts and Valenti. Ammirato and Carter assisted on Roberts’ game-opening power-play goal at 11:09 of the first period, while Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) posted an assist on Valenti’s first period shorthanded goal at 15:12.
Roberts gave Utica a 3-0 lead early in the second period, assisted by Valenti, before the Blue Devils made their run.
Fredonia’s Jimmy Morgan netted a goal at 12:54 of the second period, before Tommy DeFelice scored the Blue Devils second goal of the game 3:18 into the third period to make it a 3-2 hockey game.
UC then exploded with three unanswered third period goals from Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)), Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). All three of the Pioneers third period goals came on the power-play.
Utica’s Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)), Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) and Arizona State transfer Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)) each added an assist on the afternoon for the Pioneers.
Utica out shot the home team 41-23 on the evening and went 4-for-7 on the power-play. Freshman goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) stopped 21 shots in his first collegiate start for the Pioneers. Fredonia’s record moved to 0-1 on the season.
