UTICA, NY - On Saturday night, the No. 14 ranked Utica University Men's Hockey team headed into winter break in emphatic fashion, erasing a 3-2 third period deficit to claw back and snatch a 5-3 victory over No. 4 SUNY Oswego during the 21st edition of the New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss game.
The Pioneers moved to 6-5, also still having a 4-0 record in UCHC play. Oswego, on the other hand, fell to 6-2 after back to back losses against last season's National Championship participants during the weekend.
Eric Vitale would net the titular goal, becoming just the fourth player in program history to score multiple teddy bear toss opening goals as he also broke the ice in 2023 against Stonehill. Although, despite the early energy, the Lakers would bounce back, looking to avoid a weekend sweep following a loss in their own teddy bear toss game the previous night against #1 Hobart.
That Oswego comeback would see the Lakers score twice in the first period following the opening goal, with a Anthony Bax wrap around making the score 2-2 heading to the first intermission. The Lakers would then take advantage of a costly turnover by the hosts in front of net, scoring a shorthanded goal to take a 3-2 lead in the final period.
The Pioneers needed a big push in order to cap of 2025 with a big victory, a push which they received courtesy of their two captains. First, Drake Morse scored a very similar goal to the third Oswego tally, taking full advantage of a costly turnover in front of the Laker goal line to secure a shorthanded score just minutes into the third period. After Morse made it 3-all, the Pioneers' other leader. Preston Brighton, hammered home a howitzer from outside the slot, the defensemen's first goal of the season and what proved to be the game-winner as the hosts took a 4-3 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
The orange and blue would hold the line over the remainder of the third period, killing off a late Laker power play and seeing Andrew Della Rovere net the empty net score to secure the win.
Three Stars:
1st - Preston Brighton wrapped up the game's first star, getting the game winning goal heading into winter break as he sent the sold-out Aud crowd home happy on Saturday night. The Pioneers' defensive anchor also added an assist, rounding out his night with a multi-point performance.
2nd - Anthony Bax joined Brighton as one of the Pioneers' multi-point getters. The converted foward snagged a superb wrap around score, also adding a playmaker to finish with one goal and one assist.
3rd - Eric Vitale became just the fourth Pioneer in program history to score multiple career teddy bear toss opening goals, with his power play score coming just seconds into the Pioneers' first advantage opportunity. Vitale slotted away the opportunity and sent the Aud into a furry frenzy.
Utica outshot Oswego 26-17 on the night, also taking a major win in the faceoff game, securing 43 of a possible 67 draws (64.2% FO win rate).
The quartet of Morse, Brighton, Bax, and Della Rovere all recorded exactly one goal and one assist in the matchup. Aydin Parekh, Alex German, Alexander Gullichsen, and Alex Gomez all each added a point to round out the scoresheet for the orange and blue.
Kyle Curtin received another start in goal for the Pioneers, saving 14 shots and picking up his sixth win of the season.
The Pioneers will head to winter break, and a multi-week rest period, before returning to play on December 30th in Detroit. The team will face the US National Under-18 Team in an exhibition that night. Their official return to play is January 3rd, with Neumann coming to town to open up the 2026 portion of the 25th anniversary season.