UTICA, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team netted three goals in each of the first two periods on its way to a 6-4 win over visiting Plymouth State University Saturday night in the home opener for the Pioneers at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Six different Pioneers scored two points as UC won its second game in as many nights to open the season with a 2-0 record.
Utica junior transfer Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) netted a team-high two goals to pace the Pioneers, while Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)), Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), Riley Egan (Lakewood, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) and Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)) each added one goal and one assist. Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) added two helpers on the afternoon for the Pioneers.
Utica returns to action next weekend when it opens up ECAC West Conference play at home. The Pioneers host Neumann on Friday night (7 p.m.) and Manhattanville on Saturday (7 p.m.).
Matt Volonnino gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead when he netted the Panthers first goal of the season just 3:21 into the contest. UC answered with two consecutive power-play goals, in a span of just 38 seconds, to hand the Pioneers a 2-1 lead midway through the first period. Senior transfer Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)) netted his first goal in a Utica uniform at 9:08, off assists from Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), to open the scoring for Utica. Valenti then netted the Pioneers second goal of the night, his third tally of the season, at 9:46 and Utica held a 2-1 lead. Valenti’s team-high third goal was assisted by Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)).
Michael Economos knotted the score at 2-2 at the 12:41 mark of the first period, off assists from Volonnio and Chris Zuccaro. Utica finished the first period with a 3-2 lead after Ammirato netted his first of the night, short-handed, at 14:12. Bushinski and Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) assisted on the Pioneers’ third goal of the afternoon.
Ammirato got back to work at the 11:51 mark of the second period, giving UC a 4-2 lead, when he scored a backhanded breakaway goal, assisted by Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) and Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)).
UC’s Riley Egan (Lakewood, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) added what proved to be the game-winner at the 13:55 mark of the second period to give the Pioneers a 5-2 lead. Schmidt and Bushinski assisted on Egan’s first tally of the season.
Plymouth went on to outscore Utica 2-1 in the final 5:43 of the second period, and the Pioneers skated into the third and final stanza with a 6-4 lead. Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) netted his first of the season at the 15:30 ledger of the second period, short-handed, to account for the Pioneers’ final goal of the contest. Luc Boby (Chicago, IL/Kalamazoo (NAHL)) and Egan assisted on Stefan’s goal.
UC junior transfer Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) stopped all eight shots he faced in the third period to help the Pioneers secure the 6-4 victory. Dill totaled 28 saves in his first appearance between the pipes for Utica this season. Plymouth State goalie Evan Morelli made 19 saves in the loss for the Panthers.
The physical match-up featured 26 total penalties (13 for each team) for a combined 79 minutes. Utica went 2-for-9 on the power-play. Plymouth out shot Utica 32-25 on the afternoon.
