UTICA, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 14 Utica College men’s hockey team netted five second period goals on its way to a convincing 9-0 victory over visiting Johnson & Wales University Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
The Pioneers have now won two in a row, outscoring their opponents by a 22-1 margin, to improve to 5-2 overall on the season. UC returns home on Saturday night when it hosts #15 Salve Regina in non-conference action at 7 p.m.
Utica was led by a four point night from defender Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), who registered two goals and two assists. Senior classmates Mikhail Bushinski (St. Paul, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) each added three points (one goal, two assists), while Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) and Justin Derlago (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Selkirk (MJHL)) finished with one goal and one assist. Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) and Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) added two assists each.
Sophomore goalie Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) picked up his first collegiate shut out as he posted 10 saves for the Pioneers. Mike Rockwell and Tyler Ellor combined for 38 saves in net for the visiting Wildcats as the Pioneers earned a 47-10 shot advantage.
Justin Derlago (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Selkirk (MJHL)) got the Pioneers on the board first midway through the opening stanza as he registered his third goal of the season 7:27 into the contest. Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) then netted his first collegiate goal with four minutes to go in the first period to hand the Pioneers a 2-0 lead after one full period of play.
Seniors Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) scored just 24 seconds apart early in the second period to push the Pioneers’ lead to 4-0. Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) added his first of the night and fourth of the year at 12:51 to give UC a 5-0 lead. Freshman Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) and senior Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) capped the second period scoring with a goal each, just 18 seconds apart, in the final two minutes of the period.
Carter and Bushinski each netted an insurance goal in the third period to seal the nine goal victory for the Pioneers.
Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)), Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)), Brandon Young (Muskegon, MI/Johnstown (NAHL)), Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)), Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) and Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) all added one assist on the afternoon.
UC dominated play in the second period, outshooting the visitors 22-3 in the 20 minute stretch.
