UTICA, NY – Freshman Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) netted two goals and added one assist as the Utica College men’s hockey team defeated visiting Morrisville State 6-1 in its return from the holiday break on Sunday afternoon at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. UC Head Coach Gary Heenan earned his 200th career victory as the Pioneers won their fifth straight game and moved their record to 8-3-1 overall on the year.
Heenan, who is in the midst of his 15th season and is the only head coach in program-history, now has an overall record of 200-139-39. He headed into the 2015-16 season in the top 20 in Division III in winning percentage among active coaches and he is also in the top 30 in winning percentage all-time at the Division III level.
The Pioneers jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead in the first period and never looked back in the victory. Dawes opened the scoring with first goal of the afternoon midway through the first period. He then added his team-best eighth goal of the season 6:31 later off assists from Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) and Easton Powers (South Lyon, MI/Port Huron (NAHL)) to give the Pioneers a 2-0 advantage.
Morrisville netted its lone goal of the afternoon with two minutes to go in the first period when Jordan Carvalho wristed home a rebound to make the score 2-1. Utica sophomore Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) capped the first period scoring when he tallied his first of the season with five seconds left in the first period, off assists from Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) and Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)). Szajner, Bushinski and Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) each registered two assists on the afternoon for the Pioneers.
Freshman Justin Derlago (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Selkirk (MJHL)) netted the only goal of the second period at the 9:16 marker to give the Pioneers a commanding three goal lead and the score was set at 4-1 headed into the final period of play.
UC’s Adam Moody (Newmarket, Ontario/Cowichan Valley (BCHL)) started the third period scoring and netted his first collegiate goal, assisted by Szajner and Roberts, to give the Pioneers a 5-1 lead early in the final period. Sophomore Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) closed out the scoring on the day when he tallied his sixth goal of the season off assists from Dawes and freshman LJ Fellows (Hyannis, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)).
The Pioneers outshot Morrisville 31-30 on the day and went 1-for-5 on the power-play. UC freshman goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) stopped 29 shots in his eighth victory of the season. Fredrick has allowed one goal or less in each of his last four starts.
Morrisville, who is coached by Utica College alum and former captain Kevin Krogel ’07, moved its record to 2-10-1 overall on the year. Mustang goalie Steve Dombrosky stopped 25 shots in the loss.
Gary Heean joins Michele Davis (women’s basketball), Pat Mineo (softball) and Dave Clausen (women’s hockey) as the only active coaches at UC with 200 career victories.
The Pioneers return to the Utica Memorial Auditorium next weekend when they wrap up a four game home stand. UC takes on Oswego Friday night (7 p.m.) before hosting Buffalo State on Saturday (7 p.m.).
