UTICA, NY - The No. 3 Utica University men's hockey team defeated SUNY Brockport 5-2 in the first ever UCHC game between the two teams. The Pioneers got out to yet another early lead and stymied a late comeback attempt by the Golden Eagles to secure their third-straight UCHC win at the Adirondack Bank Center on Friday Night. Matt Wood led the team with one goal and two assists.
 
Multiple players provided at least one point: Johnny Mulera (1g, 1a), Jakob Breault (1g, 1a), Brian Scoville (0g, 2a), Eric Vitale (1g, 0a), Aydin Parekh (0g, 1a), Aidan Hughes (0g, 1a), Preston Brighton (0g, 1a), Shane Murphy (0g, 1a) and Andrew Della Rovere (1g, 0a).
 
Ethan Roberts started in net for Utica, totaling 25 saves. He recorded eight in the first and second periods, followed by nine in the third.
 
Both teams came out firing in the first five minutes of action, combining for 13 shots, two of them coming in high-danger situations on the slot for Brockport, but Roberts was there to make the saves. Utica opened the scoring with nine minutes remaining as Parekh found Mulera in the neutral zone, then dished a pass to Wood, who gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, Brockport turned the puck over in their own zone, leading to a goal by Della Rovere with an assist credited to Hughes. The Pioneers would enter the second with a 2-0 lead. Utica made great plays on the forecheck, giving the Pioneer offense plenty more shooting opportunities.
 
The Pioneers came out firing in the second period, tallying nine shots. Mulera scored an even-strength goal to give Utica a 3-0 lead with 16 minutes remaining with a beautiful shot on the doorstep. Three minutes later, the Golden Eagles found the net to cut Utica's lead to 3-1 on a goal from Jacob Gates. Utica would answer back five minutes later on a goal from Breault as the Pioneers went into the third with a 4-1 advantage.
 
Both teams scored one goal each in the third period. Brockport scored first, seven minutes into the third period, cutting the lead to 4-2. With just over 11 minutes left, Vitale would register Utica's fifth and final goal, which would lead to a 5-2 Utica win.
 
Utica (4-1-0, 3-0-0 UCHC) travels to Brockport tomorrow for the series' second game on Saturday, November 16 at 5 p.m.