ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Two members of the Elmira College men’s ice hockey team were winners of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference’s (UCHC) first-ever weekly awards, as Matthew Cuce ’20 was crowned the inaugural Player of the Week and Jake Sabourin ’21 was named the Goalie of the Week.
The duo helped guide the Purple and Gold to a stunning 3-2 overtime win over nationally-ranked Hobart in EC’s 2017-18 season opener at the Murray Athletic Center on Friday, October 27, before coming up short on the road against No. 7/7 Oswego State, 4-2, the following night.
Cuce scored a pair of goals to lift the Soaring Eagles to the overtime victory against the No. 10/9 Statesmen in the first game of the season. The Fort Myers, Florida, native put the Purple and Gold up 2-1 in the third period with his first tally. He then scored the game-winning goal 2:52 into the extra session to seal the upset. It marked the second multi-goal game and second game-winning goal of Cuce’s young career.
Sabourin made his first two collegiate starts in goal for the Soaring Eagles over the weekend. The rookie netminder logged 42 saves in the overtime win against Hobart, before stopping another 39 shots on the road against Oswego State. The Catonsville, Maryland, native made 19 saves in the second period alone against the nationally-ranked Statesmen, which held them scoreless during that period. Sabourin’s 42 saves against Hobart are the most by an EC freshman goalie in a debut in over 18 years.
The Soaring Eagles will return to the ice at the MAC for a pair of UCHC games this weekend, beginning with the conference opener on Friday, November 3, at 7:00 p.m. against Manhanttanville. The Elmira men will then host King’s (Pa.) the following night, with the opening puck drop also scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
