Rochester, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team skated to a 2-2 overtime tie against host Nazareth College in game two of an ECAC West Conference series in Rochester on Saturday night. The Pioneers led 2-1 midway through the third period, but the Golden Flyers notched the game-tying goal with 5:20 to go in the contest and both goalies stood strong in the overtime period to preserve the 2-2 tie.
UC remains unbeaten as its record moved to 2-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in conference action. The Pioneers return to action at home on Friday night when they host Elmira College in conference action at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m.
After a scoreless first period, Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) registered his first goal, since returning from a season-long injury, on the power-play to give the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage at the 11:59 marker of the second period. Sophomore’s Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) each recorded an assist on the game’s opening goal.
The offense’s came to life in the third period as J.R. Wojciechowski got the Golden Flyers on the board 4:02 into the stanza to knot the score at 1-1.
The Pioneers then took the lead back when freshman Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) netted the first goal of his career at the 7:37 marker of the third, to give UC the 2-1 advantage. Trent Samuels-Thomas (West Hartford, CT/Omaha (USHL)) assisted on the Roberts’ goal.
Naz’s David Powlowski then tied the game up at 2-2 at the 14:40 marker of the third period.
Each team registered just one shot in the five minute overtime stretch and both goalies stood strong as the two squads skated to an overtime tie.
UC goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) stopped 23 shots on the afternoon while Naz goalie Ed Zdolshek made 22 saves for the Golden Flyers.
Brissette leads UC with four points this season on three goals and one assist. McVeigh has a team-best three assists, while Bushinski has one goal and one assist on the year. Roberts now has two points on the year (one goal, one assist).
The Pioneers are now 6-2-3 all-time against Nazareth.
