UTICA, NY – Amherst College rallied from a 5-3 third period deficit to defeat nationally-ranked No. 4/5 Utica College, 6-5, in overtime at the Utica Memorial Auditorium Saturday night.
Utica led 5-3 after junior Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) netted his second goal of the season with 6:55 to go in the third period of play. Amherst answered with two goals in a span of 39 seconds from P.J. Conlon and Will Vosejpka to knot the score at 5-5 with 3:02 remaining in the third. The tie game held through regulation and the two teams skated into the five minute overtime period with the score set at 5-5.
Freshman defender Noah Gilreath then scored the game-winner, his first collegiate tally, with 58 seconds remaining on the overtime clock to lift the Purple and White past the Pioneers. Patrick Day and Patrick Mooney were credited with assists on the game-winner.
The nationally-ranked Pioneers have now lost two in a row after starting the season 8-0 for the first time in program-history. Amherst remains unbeaten on the season and moved its record to 2-0-1 through three games.
The Pioneers were led by two goals and one assist from junior forward Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). Valenti’s first goal of the night tied the game up at 2-2 midway through the second period, assisted by Szajner and Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). Valenti then added his second of the night, short-handed, 6:50 into the third period to give the Pioneers their first outright lead of the afternoon, 4-3.
Utica’s Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)), Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) and Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) each registered one goal and one assist on the evening. Ammirato’s team-best ninth goal of the season tied the game at 1-1 9:15 into the first period and was assisted by Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) and Valenti. Dawes’ first goal of the season tied the score at 3-3, on the power-play, at the 13:53 marker of the second period. His goal was assisted by Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)).
Five players scored two points for Amherst, including Patrick Mooney (two assists), Greg Krisberg (one goal, one assist), P.J. Conlon (one goal, one assist), Noah Gilreath (one goal, one assist) and Patrick Daly (one goal, one assist).
Amherst held a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period behind goals from Krisberg and Stanley Brenner.
Amherst took a 3-2 lead midway through the second period when Daly netted his fourth goal of the season. The Pioneer answered with three consecutive goals over the course of the second and third periods to lead by two, 5-3, before the visitors made their game-winning push.
Utica goalie Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) stopped 26 shots in the loss for the Pioneers. His record moved to 4-1 overall on the season. Adam Ellison made 25 saves in net for Amherst.
Amherst went 2-for-5 on the power-play, while Utica went 1-for-6. The Purple and White also earned a 32-30 shot advantage on the afternoon.
The Pioneers return to the Aud on Friday night when they wrap up a three game home stand against SUNY Cortland at 7 p.m.
