RYE, NY - Lightning struck twice on Saturday afternoon as goaltender Kyle Curtin achieved a weekend shutout of Manhattanville, producing his second straight zero in under 24 hours and securing a 3-0 victory in what was head coach Gary Heenan's 400th career win.

The No. 10 Pioneers improved to 4-4, making it their fourth consecutive win to start conference play. The orange and blue will bring a 4-0 UCHC record into 2026, with Saturday's series finale being the final conference game of 2025 for the team. 

Utica won the shots battle by a 41-29 margin, getting off lots of attempts on each of their power play opportunities. They also racked up 12 blocks in the action, shutting down many Manhattanville opportunities in the outing. The most effective blocker was today's first star of the game…

Three Stars:

1st - Senior goaltender Kyle Curtin had another superb 60 minutes in net, stopping 29 shots as he worked his way through a second straight shutout. Curtin was a wall this weekend, standing firmly on his head for all 120 minutes of his two appearances. He helped keep the Valiants scoreless at home in both matchups, securing the team's first two shutouts of the season. He grabbed 62 total saves over the two games, boosting his season save percentage to a .929. 

2nd - Nick Ahern netted two goals in the matchup, grabbing the first two scores for the Pioneers who struck five minutes into the first period, before striking three minutes into the second frame to create a 2-goal advantage. Ahern has been on a hot streak since the start of conference play, scoring four goals in four games while also securing three assists in that same time. Ahern's initial two goals gave the team a big boost as they controlled play the rest of the way.

3rd - Drake Morse got on the scoring sheet, netting the Pioneers' third goal on a nasty breakaway opportunity. With under four minutes remaining in the second frame, Morse received the puck on the left side of the Valiants' D-zone and proceeded to weave in and out, leaving three defenders in the dust before beating the red and black goaltender glove-side for a highlight-reel goal. Morse's score made it 3-0, giving the Pioneers a massive advantage heading into the final period of play.

EXTRA STAR - Bench boss Gary Heenan achieved his 400th career victory with today's win, joining an elite club. The team's first and only head coach had averaged around 17 wins per season in his coaching career. 

The Pioneers saw six different skaters supply assists in the outing, with Aydin Parekh, Will Hilfiker, Eric Vitale, Anthony Bax, Andrew Della Rovere, and John Gutt grabbing apples. 

The team will now take on its annual Utica Thanksgiving Showcase sponsored by Delta by Marriott. The Pioneers will face UMass Boston in the first round next Friday at 7:30 PM, before taking on either Morrisville or Hamilton the next day in the consolation or championship. All those games will take place at the Adirondack Bank Center next Friday and Saturday.