UTICA, NY- The Utica College men's hockey team captured the inaugural UCHC Conference Championship Saturday evening as it downed visiting Elmira College 8-3. This marks the first conference championship by the Pioneers in program history.
Utica improves to 21-5-1 on the year, matching the program's single-season wins record, which the 2012-13 edition of the Pioneers accomplished on their way to a Division III Men's Hockey Championship berth. UC will now await a possible at large bid into the 2018 NCAA Tournament for just the second time ever. This year's NCAA selection show is scheduled for Monday, March 5.
The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period behind three power play goals off the sticks of Gregg Burmaster, Daniel Fritz, and Roman Ammirato.
UC kept up the pressure in the second period as senior Mikhail Bushinski buried a feed from Burmaster at 4:27 for his sixth of the year. Brett Szajner also assisted on Utica's eventual game-winner.
Just 1:32 Kyle Lajeunesse made it 5-0 when he found the back of the net for his sixth of the year, off assists by Zach Borsoi and Josh Haskin.
Elmira was finally able to get on the board in the second period with a pair of power play goals by Anthony Parrucci and Nick Ford to spoil Utica's shutout hopes.
Conor Landrigan, Dalton Carter, and Joey Rutkowski each added third period tallies to seal the Utica victory.
Carter, Burmaster, and Lajeunesse each finished with one goal and two assists, while Ammirato had one goal and one assist. Szajner, Kevin Valenti, and Anthony McVeigh each recorded two helpers on the evening.
Goalie Patrik Virtanen made 32 saves in the win, while Elmira's Gennaro Anzevino had 29 saves in the loss. Utica, which has been lethal on the power play all season, was an impressive 5-for-7 with the man advantage, while Elmira was 2-for-3 on the evening.
2018 UCHC All-Tournament Team
Goalie- Patrik Virtanen, UC
Defense- Ryan Blais, Elmira
Defense- Dalton Carter, UC
Forward- Roman Ammirato, UC
Forward- Nick Ford, Elmira
MVP- Gregg Burmaster, UC