UTICA, NY – The Radisson Thanksgiving Showcase Most Valuable Player Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) netted a power-play goal 7:54 into the contest to lift the Utica College men’s hockey team to a 1-0 victory over visiting St. Thomas in the weekend’s championship game on Saturday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Utica freshman goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) stopped all 28 shots he faced to earn All-Tournament team honors as well as his first collegiate shut out for the Pioneers.
Utica swept a pair of western region opponents in Saint John’s (Minn.) and St. Thomas (Minn.) at home this weekend and improved to 5-3-1 overall on the year. St. Thomas, who was coming off a big win over nationally-ranked No. 13 Oswego State at the Aud on Friday night, moved its record to 5-3-2 overall on the year. Oswego defeated Saint John’s in Saturday night’s third place game prior to the tilt between the Pioneers and the Tommies.
UC went 1-for-6 on the power-play and held St. Thomas to an 0-for-3 effort, including a key 5-on-3 opportunity for the Tommies early in the contest. St. Thomas also outshot the Pioneers 28-21 on the afternoon.
Utica’s Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) and Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) each record an assist on the Pioneers’ first period goal. They both finished the weekend with two assists.
St. Thomas outshot Utica 21-11 in the final 40 minutes of action, but the Pioneer defense stood strong to preserve the one goal lead and the victory.
The All-Tournament team consisted of forwards Joel Wetmore (Horseheads, NY/Lindsay (OJHL)) (Utica), Jordan Lovick (St. Thomas) and Alex Botten (Oswego), defensemen Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) (Utica) and Steve Sorenson (St. Thomas) and goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) (Utica), while Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) earned the showcase’s most valuable player honors after totaling two goals and one assist on the weekend. Fredrick finished the weekend with 58 saves in two victories between the pipes for UC.
The Pioneers return to action on the road Friday when they travel to Castleton University to take on the Spartans at 7 p.m. in Castleton, VT. UC defeated Castleton 5-2 on October 30, 2015 in its home opener at the Aud this season.
