PLYMOUTH, MI – The Utica College men’s hockey team rallied with four unanswered goals in the final 20:14 of the contest to earn a 5-4 victory over the host US National Under-18 team in an exhibition contest at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers have now defeated the US U-18’s twice in a row, with their first victory coming at home back in 2013 by the score of 4-1.
With the score tied at 4-4 late in the contest, Utica senior Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) scored off assists from Mikhail Bushinski (St. Paul, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) and Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) with 3:17 left in regulation to give the Pioneers their first lead of the contest, 5-4. Senior goal Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) closed the door as he did not allow a goal in the third period to help the Pioneers earn the victory. Dill finished the night with 12 saves in 20 minutes of action to earn the win in between the pipes.
The US Under-18 National Team has 17 Division I commitments currently on the roster. They have four players committed to Boston University and three players committed to the University of Notre Dame. Oliver Wahlstrom, who has committed to Harvard, netted one goal for the US and he leads the team with 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 29 games. Joel Farabee, originally from nearby Cicero, NY, also added an assist for Team USA.
The Pioneers trailed 4-1 late in the second period before senior defender Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) pushed home an even strength goal, assisted by freshman Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)), to cut UC’s deficit to two goals, 4-2, with 14 seconds left in the period.
Freshman forward Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) got things going in the third period when he netted a goal 5:59 into the period to make it a 4-3 game. Justin Derlago (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Selkirk (MJHL)) was credited with an assist on the goal. Senior forward Mikhail Bushinski (St. Paul, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) then knotted the score at 4-4 at the 7:40 marker, assisted by senior Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)).
Utica finished the day going 1-for-3 on the power-play. Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) scored on a power-play in the first period, assisted by Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and Ammirato, to tie the score at 1-1 just 3:01 into the contest.
Utica goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) stopped 12 shots while classmate Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) made 16 saves. Each Utica goalie saw one period of action in the victory.
Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) posted two assists on the afternoon, while Mikhail Bushinski (St. Paul, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) added one goal and one assist to pace the Pioneers
The Pioneers return to the ice on Friday night when they travel to Morrisville State to take on the Mustangs at 7 p.m.
