UTICA, NY — The Utica College men’s hockey team has moved back into the top 15 in both the D3hockey.com and USCHO.com national polls. The Pioneers are ranked 12th by D3hockey.com and 15th in the USCHO.com poll.
The Pioneers defeated Neumann University, 4-3, on Saturday in the ECAC West semifinals at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. They are currently 18-8 this season and host Hobart College in the ECAC West Championship game Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Aud. Tickets for Saturday’s championship game are now on sale at the Auditorium Box Office and online at http://empirestatetix.com/.
Utica’s 18 wins are the second most wins in a single season in program-history and the Pioneers have now won eight of their last nine contests.
Utica is advancing to its third ECAC West title game in the last four years and fifth overall in the program’s 16-year history. The Pioneers will host the Statesmen on Saturday in search of their first conference tournament title in program-history.
Junior forward Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) now has 35 points this season, marking the most points scored by a Pioneer in a single season since All-American Louie Educate registered 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) back in 2013.
Utica freshman goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) has 13 wins this season. He posted a 10-1 record in ECAC West action this season and he leads the conference in save percentage at .938 and shutouts.
The last time Utica won over 18 games in a single season was back in 2013 when the Pioneers won 21 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship Semifinals in Lake Placid, NY.
