GENEVA, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 7/8 Utica College men’s hockey team extended its season opening unbeaten streak to eight games as the Pioneers earned a key ECAC West Conference victory over No. 6/6 Hobart College, 4-2, on Saturday night at the Geneva Recreation Complex.
The Pioneers are now 8-0 for the first time in program-history, and 6-0 in ECAC West play, as they snapped a seven game losing streak against the Statesmen (5-2-1, 4-2-0 ECAC West) that dates back two seasons. Utica now has a two game stronghold atop the conference standings and avenged last year’s 5-0 loss in the ECAC West Conference Tournament Championship game at Hobart.
Hobart made it a one goal game, 3-2, with 8:27 left in the third period of play but the Pioneers answered with an empty-netter in the closing moments of the contest to secure the two goal victory. Utica’s Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) tallied the empty net insurance goal to seal the victory with 33 seconds left in the contest, assisted by Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)).
Ten different Pioneers registered at least one point on the afternoon and they were led by Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) who tallied one goal and one assist. Utica junior transfer goalie Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) stopped 40 shots on the night, marking his highest save total as a Pioneer.
UC opened up a 3-1 first period lead and never looked back as it defeated the Statesmen, who were selected one spot ahead of the Pioneers in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.
The Pioneers earned a 1-0 lead just 2:21 into the first period when Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) netted his second of the year, off assists from senior Kevin Kirisits (Buffalo, NY/Brockville (CCHL)) and freshman Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). Hobart answered midway through the opening period, as Zach Sternbach posted his fifth goal of the season to knot the score at 1-1.
UC exploded with two goals in a span of 3:46 in the first period to take a 3-1 lead. Leading scorer Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) netted his seventh goal of the season, off assists from McVeigh and Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)), on the power-play to hand UC a 2-1 lead with 7:58 to go in the second period. Ammirato, a junior transfer from Union College, now has 16 points on seven goals and nine assists through eight games.
Sophomore defender Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) added his second goal in as many nights with 4:12 remaining in the period to give UC a two goal advantage. Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) was credited with his fifth assist of the season and Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) also added a helper on the Pioneers third tally of the afternoon.
Both goalies stood strong in the second period and the two national powers skated into the third and final period with the score set at 3-1.
The Statesmen added a third period goal, from the stick of Tyler Wolf, to make it a one goal game with 8:27 left in the contest.
Frank Oplinger stopped 29 shots in between the pipes for Hobart.
The Pioneers have now completed their early season ECAC West schedule and will return home next weekend to kick off a three game non-conference home stand at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Utica will take on nationally-ranked No. 4 UMass Boston on Friday night at 7 p.m. before hosting Amherst College on Saturday at 7 p.m. UMass Boston went 23-5-3 last season and advanced as far as the NCAA Division III National Semifinals before falling to St. Norbert 8-7 in overtime.
