UTICA, NY – Utica College men’s hockey freshman goalie Cory Simic (Whitby, Ontario/Smith Falls (CCHL)) was named the ECAC Men’s West Rookie of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday.
Simic registered his first collegiate win and shut out after posting 30 saves in the Pioneers’ 4-0 win over New England College on Saturday at the Cardinal Winter Classic hosted by Plattsburgh. Simic and the UC penalty-kill unit held the Pilgrims to a 0-for-7 effort on the power-play and 13 of his 30 saves came in the third period.
Simic has appeared in four games this season and he boasts a 2.58 goals against average to go along with a .897 save percentage. He has 78 total saves and a 1-2-0 overall record in 209:32 minutes of action.
UC went 1-0-1 over the weekend at the Cardinal Winter Classic. UC opened the weekend with a 3-3 tie against nationally-ranked No. 15 Amherst College. The Pioneers lost the ensuing shoot out 1-0, sending them to Saturday’s consolation game against New England College. Louie Educate (Chicago, IL/Aberdeen (NAHL)) led Utica with two goals and one assist on the weekend, while junior Joel Wetmore (Horseheads, NY/Lindsay (OJHL)) tallied one goal and two assists against Amherst on Friday night. Freshmen classmates Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) each chipped in with one goal and one assist on Saturday.
The Pioneers are unbeaten in seven of their last eight games and they currently hold a 6-5-3 overall record. They remain on the road Saturday when they travel to Castleton State College (7 p.m.).
