ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Three skaters from the Elmira College men’s ice hockey team were named to the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Preseason Watch List, which features the top players from around the newly-formed conference. Captain Blake O’Neill ’19, as well as second-year forwards Connor Powell ’20 and Matthew Cuce ’20, represented the Soaring Eagles on the watch list.
O’Neill played in 23 of Elmira’s 25 games this past season and amassed nine points on three goals and six assists. His three tallies were tied for the team lead amongst defensemen, while the nine-point total finished second among EC blueliners. His highest scoring game came in an 8-6 road win over Lebanon Valley College, a game that O’Neill racked up two points on an assist and a power-play score. For his career, the product of Fort Myers, Florida, has 46 career games under his belt, as well as 22 points on five goals and 17 helpers.
Powell returns for his second year with the Soaring Eagles, after leading the squad in both goals (13) and points (27) a season ago. Four of his 13 goals were scored the power play, a mark that ranked third on the team, while he also scored one shorthanded goal and a game-winner. The 27-point total was the highest by an Elmira freshman in 16 years and Powell became just the second rookie in program history to lead the team in points; the last player to do so was Rich Bopray ’82, who pieced together a masterful 80-point freshman season in 1978-79 on 37 goals and 43 assists.
Cuce garnered ECAC West All-Rookie Team accolades during the 2016-17 season. His playmaking ability was on full display during his freshman year, as he led the Purple and Gold with 19 assists, a mark that ranked fifth on the league leaderboard and first among rookie skaters. Cuce’s best game of the season was a five-point performance in EC’s 7-1 rout of Nichols, which made the Fort Myers, Florida, native the first Soaring Eagle freshman to log five points in a single game since in 10 years.
The Elmira men open the 2017-18 season this Friday, October 27, with a 7:00 p.m. showdown against former ECAC West Conference rival Hobart College at the Murray Athletic Center. The season opener will serve as EC’s Halloween Night, where fans are encouraged to dress up in Halloween costumes for a chance to win several prizes, courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings.
2017-18 UCHC Preseason Watch List
Chatham University
Kevin Fees, Forward
Eric Hildebrand, Forward
Andrew Breda, Defense
Elmira College
Connor Powell, Forward
Matthew Cuce, Forward
Blake O’Neill, Defense
King’s College (Pa.)
Tyler O’Mara, Forward
Nicholas Palumbo, Defense
Luke Damiano, Forward
Lebanon Valley College
Cole Hepler, Forward
Brett Johnson, Forward
Brad Nolan, Defense
Manhattanville College
Stephen Gaul, Forward
Matt Lippa, Forward
Eric Berglund, Forward
Nazareth College
Oliver Janzen, Forward
Austin Romzek, Forward
Mike Tilford, Goaltender
Neumann University
Jake Davidson, Defense
Liam Board, Forward
Stevenson University
Mike Davis, Forward
Doug Rose, Defense
Jordan Watt, Forward
Utica College
Roman Ammirato, Forward
Mikhail Bushinski, Forward
Patrik Virtanen, Goaltender
