The Utica College men’s hockey team capped its international competition with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over Chamonix (French Magnus League) on Wednesday. In 3-on-3 overtime action with the score knotted at 4-4, Utica’s Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) netted the game-winner to help the Pioneers improve their record to 3-1 over the course of the week.
Utica jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) got the Pioneers going when he netted the first goal of the contest with 12 minutes left in the first period. Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) gave UC a 2-0 lead just four minutes later and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) put the Pioneers on top 3-0 with three minutes left in the first.
Chamonix did not go down easy as the home team netted three second period goals to knot the score at 3-3 headed into the third period of action.
Luc Boby (Chicago, IL/Kalamazoo (NAHL)) put the Pioneers back on top with a third period tally, but the home team responded with a goal of its own and sent the contest to overtime with the score set at 4-4.
Borsoi’s second goal of the trip proved to be a big one, as he tallied the overtime game-winner two minutes into the period to help Utica improve its record to 10-2 all-time in international play.
Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) made nine saves and allowed one goal, while Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) stopped eight shots and allowed two goals. Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) added 11 saves and one goal against for the Pioneers.
UC finished the afternoon with 36 total shots. Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) posted two assists on the afternoon, while Valenti, McVeigh and Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) each added one assist.
The Pioneers were provided a memorable opportunity to play in Chamonix, France home of the 1924 Olympics.
