HARTFORD, CT - The No. 2 Utica University men's hockey team's run to a national championship ended on Thursday afternoon as the team fell to the defending champion and No. 1 ranked Hobart College Statesmen, 3-1, in the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Frozen Four Semifinal. The Pioneers have their season come to an end with a 24-3-3 mark, while Hobart improves to 27-2-1.
 
Michael Herrera scored the team's lone goal while Kimball Johnson and Drake Morse assisted. In goal, Ethan Roberts racked up 24 saves. 
 
Hobart out-shot Utica 27-23 in the game while the Statesmen also claimed the faceoff advantage, 35-24. 
 
Hobart jumped out to a 1-0 lead 52 seconds into the game. Following a shot by Tanner Hartman, Austin Mourar collected the rebound and fired it past the reach of Ethan Roberts. Over the ensuing several minutes a handful of Pioneers produced shots that were blocked or off the post while Utica returned the favor to Hobart in similar fashion. 
 
However, the Statesmen struck again at 7:25 when Hartman capitalized on a dish from Tristan Fasig. The goal was reviewed but was upheld for a 2-0 Hobart advantage. Over the final three minutes of the period, Brian Scoville, Khristian Acosta, Dante Spagnuolo, Kimball Johnson and Andrew Della Rovere had looks but to no avail as the game moved into the second with the Pioneers behind by two scores. 
 
Shots were similar in what was a penalty-filled second period with Hobart having the advantage, 10-7. As far as penalties went, Utica committed two while the Statesmen were nailed for three. 
 
The Pioneers were able to chip away at their deficit midway through the second. At 9:55, Michael Herrera buried a shot from the point off Kimball Johnson and Drake Morse assists to make it a 2-1 game. 
 
Both teams went scoreless on their power play chances in the full 20 minutes however, Herrera was called for holding with seven seconds to go in the second which allowed Hobart to begin the third on the advantage. 
 
Utica looked to rally throughout the final 20 minutes with eight shots on goal in the frame. The Statesmen were also limited to seven looks on goal in the third which would lead to the game coming down to the final two minutes with the Pioneers behind by one goal. 
 
Roberts was pulled from goal with just over two minutes to play. With 48 seconds left, Griffen Barr and Spagnuolo each missed wide while Chris Carroll had his shot blocked. Off of that, Hobart was able to poke the puck out of the Utica zone which led to an empty netter by Conor Lally to put a close to the contest at 3-1. 
 
Utica wraps up its 2023-24 campaign with 24 wins, a third consecutive UCHC title and a group of 18 newcomers who helped lead the team to its first NCAA Division III Frozen Four since 2012-13. The Pioneers were the first UCHC team to make the Frozen Four.

ABOUT THE UNITED COLLEGIATE HOCKEY CONFERENCE
The United Collegiate Hockey Conference is a collaborative effort between eleven institutions to provide a competitive environment and structure for NCAA Division III men's and women's ice hockey in the Eastern United States. Our membership encompasses a wide geographic area spanning from Central and Western New York to the greater Pittsburgh and Baltimore areas. In its fifth season, the UCHC will incorporate the efforts of ice hockey student-athletes from Arcadia University, Alvernia University, Chatham University, King's College, Lebanon Valley College, Manhattanville College, Nazareth College, Neumann University, Stevenson University, Utica University, and Wilkes University into their strong, but evolving membership that strives for on-ice excellence while also preparing student athletes for their off-ice futures. For more on the UCHC, visit the league's homepage at http://www.TheUCHC.com, or follow the league on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/UCHCHockey.