Rochester, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 9/11 Utica College men’s hockey team earned a two goal lead early in the third period and never looked back as the Pioneers came away with a 2-1 victory at Nazareth College in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference opener for both teams Friday night.
Newcomers came through for the Pioneers on Friday night as freshman Brandon Young (Muskegon, MI/Johnstown (NAHL)) and junior transfer Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) each registered their first goal in the orange and blue to help the Pioneers improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in league play. UC returns home next Saturday, Nov. 11 when the Pioneers host Elmira College for conference play at 7 p.m.
Nazareth’s record moved to 1-2 and 0-1 in the UCHC. Utica worked a 37-27 shot advantage on the afternoon as sophomore goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) stopped 26 shots to earn his second victory of the season.
After 28:28 of scoreless action, Utica freshman defender Brandon Young (Muskegon, MI/Johnstown (NAHL)) found the back of the net, assisted by senior Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)), to hand the Pioneers a 1-0 second period lead. Ammirato leads Utica with four helpers this season.
Just 3:35 into the third period Utica’s Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)), a transfer from Division I Colorado College, netted what proved to be the game-winner to put the Pioneers in the driver’s seat with a 2-0 lead. 6-foot-5 freshman defender Hunter Gunski (Goffstown, NH/Wellington (OJHL)) recorded his first collegiate assist on the Burmaster goal.
Nazareth’s John Power netted his first goal of the season to pull the Golden Flyers within one goal, 2-1, with 11 minutes left in regulation. However, the Naz comeback proved to be too late as Virtanen and the Pioneer defense closed the door for the remainder of regulation.
Naz goalie Michael Tilford stopped 35 shots as his record dropped to 1-2 overall on the year. Both teams were held scoreless on the power-play (Utica 0-for-5, Nazareth 0-for-4).
UC held a 15-5 shot advantage after the first period of play, while each team recorded 12 and 10 shots in the second and third periods, respectively.
