UTICA, NY- The No. 3 seed Utica College men’s hockey team scored four goals in the third period to down sixth-seeded Elmira College, 5-3, in the quarterfinals of the ECAC West Conference Tournament Wednesday evening. The Pioneers now travel to Manhattanville College on Saturday for the semifinals. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Five different players scored for UC and senior Nick Miglio (San Antonio, TX/Bismarck (NAHL)) led the way with two points on the evening. Utica opened the scoring just over halfway through the first period as Miglio redirected a point shot from freshman Hayden Hansen for his sixth goal of the season. Freshman Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) also assisted on the play.
The Soaring Eagles rebounded at 10:06 of the second period as Tyler Theodoulou netted his sixth of the year, off assists from Tommy Sumi and Jeremy Marginsky. Then, with just over two minutes remaining in the second stanza, Michael Collins took a cross ice pass and buried a puck into the open net right as a Utica penalty expired. Eddie Nolan and Mitch Atkins assisted on Collins’ fourth of the year.
The Pioneers responded with a big third period, starting with a clutch goal by sophomore Riley Egan (Lakewood, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) at 5:01 of the final frame. Egan found himself alone in the slot and took a feed from Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) for his third of the year. Vinny Stefan picked up his eighth assist of the season on the equalizer.
Just over five minutes later, ECAC West Rookie of the Year, Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) found the back of the net on a 3-on-2 for his team-leading tenth goal of the season. Sophomores Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) assisted on the go-ahead tally. Utica took a two-goal lead with 3:36 remaining as Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) took a centering pass from Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and beat Elmira goalie Sal Magliocco on the blocker side to give the Pioneers a two-goal cushion. Classmate Adam Moody (Newmarket, Ontario/Cowichan Valley (BCHL)) also picked up a helper on Valenti’s fourth of the year.
Elmira was able to bring the game within one with two minutes remaining as the Soaring Eagles pulled their goalie for the 6-on-5 advantage. Collins took a rebound from the right side of the net and fired a shot on goal. The puck deflected off Utica net minder Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and bounced high into the air before landing in the crease behind the UC goalie. After a scramble at the net mouth the puck somehow found its way over the goal line to make the score 4-3. Jarryd ten Vaanholt and Blake O’Neill were credited with the assists on Collins’ second of the evening.
Utica capped off the scoring at 18:41 as senior Joel Wetmore (Horseheads, NY/Lindsay (OJHL)) collected a pass from Miglio and fired the puck into the open net to send the Pioneers onto the semifinals. Fredrick finished with 29 saves, while Magliocco had 32 stops in net for Elmira. Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) also added one assist on the evening.
UC improves to 13-9-4 on the year, while the Soaring Eagles wrap up their season with an 11-12-3 mark. Utica returns the favor after Elmira knocked the Pioneers out of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Both teams were held scoreless on five combined power play opportunities.
