ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Four members of the Elmira College men’s ice hockey team – Nick Ford ’20, Matthew Cuce ’20, Ryan Blais ’21 and Gennaro Anzevino ’21 – were included on the first-ever All-United Collegiate Hockey Conference Teams, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.
As voted on by the league’s head coaches, Ford was named to the All-UCHC First Team, while linemate Cuce was included on the Second Team. Freshmen Blais and Anzevino were both elected to the UCHC All-Rookie Team.
In Ford, the Soaring Eagles boast one of the most lethal scorers in all of NCAA Division III ice hockey. The second-year forward from New Lenox, Illinois, revolutionized his game in 2018, more than doubling his goal, assist and point production from his freshmen season. Heading into the UCHC Championship Game against Utica on Saturday, March 3, Ford leads the conference and is tied for first in the nation in points (48), while his league-leading 24 goals are tied for second in the country. He also ranks fourth in the UCHC in both assists (24) and power-play points (15).
The 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound forward has logged points in all but five games so far in 2017-18, including a pair of five-point performances against King’s (Pa.) (4g-1a) in November and Stevenson (2g-3a) in the UCHC Tournament semifinals over the weekend. Ford’s 24 goals are the most in a single season since Randy Murphy ’95 netted 29 in 1993-94, while his 48 points are the most by a Soaring Eagle since Dave Evans ’97 posted 54 during his senior campaign in 1996-97.
Alongside Ford, Cuce has helped the Purple and Gold produce one of the most feared first lines in the conference, and perhaps the nation. An ECAC West All-Rookie Team honoree last season, Cuce has also recorded career numbers across the board, as he ranks second in the UCHC in assists (25), fourth in points (39) and sixth in goals (15). The Fort Myers, Florida, native has notched multiple points on 11 occasions, beginning with a two-goal effort in the team’s season-opening 3-2 upset of No. 10/9 Hobart in overtime at the Murray Athletic Center. Cuce picked up his first career hat trick in a road win over King’s (Pa.) with a trio of power-play goals in January, and dished out a career-high four assists in the home win over the Monarch in early November.
For the second consecutive year, the Soaring Eagles have placed two on the All-Rookie Team with the selections of Blais and Anzevino. As a duo, they helped the Elmira defense reduce its goals-against average by nearly a full goal-per-game down to 2.85 in their debut seasons.
Blais, a first-year defender from Woonsocket, Rhode Island, earned the distinction thanks to a high-scoring campaign. He ranks second among all UCHC freshmen and third among blueliners with 21 points (2g-19a), making him EC’s first defenseman to amass 20-plus points in a season since former All-American Karl Linden ’11 did so as a senior in 2010-11.
Anzevino foreshadowed what proved to be a stellar rookie season in his first-ever collegiate start on November 11, a night he helped the Soaring Eagles upset nationally-ranked Utica on its home ice with 40 saves in a 5-1 win. The product of South Hackensack, New Jersey, has posted a 9-4-2 record in 16 starts. His 2.45 goals-against average is the second-best in the UCHC, while his .920 save percentage ranks third.
Elmira’s All-UCHC honorees will lead the Soaring Eagles into this weekend’s tournament championship game, as fifth-seeded EC will take on the No. 1 seed, Utica College, on Saturday, March 3. The opening puck drop for the inaugural UCHC Championship Game at the Adirondack Bank Center is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
UCHC Annual Awards
Player of the Year: Roman Ammirato, Utica, Senior Forward
Goaltender of the Year: Jacob Caffrey, Stevenson, Senior Goaltender
Defensive Player of the Year: Jake Davidson, Neumann, Senior Defenseman
Rookie of the Year: Conor Landrigan, Utica, Freshman Forward
Coach of the Year: Don Parsons, Lebanon Valley
First Team
Pos. Name School Class
F Roman Ammirato Utica Sr.
F Matt Lippa Manhattanville Jr.
F Nick Ford Elmira So.
D Jake Davidson Neumann Sr.
D Dalton Carter Utica Sr.
G Jacob Caffrey Stevenson Sr.
Second Team
Pos. Name School Class
F Brett Johnson Lebanon Valley Jr.
F Matthew Cuce Elmira So.
F Liam Board Neumann Sr.
D Doug Rose Stevenson Sr.
D Ryan Jackson Manhattanville So.
G Patrik Virtanen Utica So.
All-Rookie Team
Pos. Name Institution Class
F Conor Landrigan Utica Fr.
F Ray Falso Nazareth Fr.
F Taylor Bommarito Manhattanville Fr.
D Ryan Blais Elmira Fr.
D Aaron Murray Stevenson Fr.
G Gennaro Anzevino Elmira Fr.
