UTICA, NY - The Utica Pioneers Men's Hockey Program has notched many notable moments in their 20+ years of existence. However, none may top the all-time classic quarterfinal contest that the Pioneers won this afternoon against five-time National Champion St. Norbert College. Utica hung around for the majority of the contest, eventually powering through right at the end to claim a 5-3 victory and advance to their second-straight Division III Frozen Four.
 
Utica welcomed the western powerhouse in the first ever meeting between the two sides. With a Frozen Four appearance on the line, the Green Knights managed to stay a step ahead nearly the entire way, holding a one goal lead for nearly the entire first two periods. The Pioneers managed to stick around though, scoring once in each of the first two periods to hang in and give themselves a chance to steal the show in the third period.
 
Jakob Breault was the man of the night, getting a score off a rebound with 50 seconds remaining in the opening frame to knot the game at 1 apiece. That wasn't it for Breault though, as he managed to put together a legendary 2-goal, 2-assist night, also cleaning house in the circle to the tune of 24 wins in 37 attempts for a 65% faceoff win percentage.
 
Breault kept the Pioneers around heading into the second period, where they dominated possession but saw themselves facing a 3-1 deficit after a few unlucky bounces. That's when Drake Morse made his move, finding twine off a shot by Breault to cut the gap to just one goal, sending the game to its final stanza with St. Norbert holding a 3-2 lead.
 
The Pioneers brought the fire in the third period, with Breault getting his second score of the matchup thanks to a rampant run through the entire Green Knight defense. The Acton Vale native made his way towards the goal, wrapping around the St. Norbert stopper to make it 3-3.
 
Minutes later, the Pioneers took their first lead of the matchup thanks to Gabriel Lundberg, who notched a late score in his second straight game. The late-game lamp-lighter found the score thanks to a rebound off a shot by Alexander Gullichsen, giving the home side a late advantage.
 
The Pioneers then weathered a late storm, taking every shot from St. Norbert but standing strong. As the game came to it's final moments, Aiden Hughes got on the rush, scoring an empty-net buzzer beater to bring the game to a close, with the Pioneers punching their ticket to a second-consecutive Division III Frozen Four on the back of a 5-3 win.
 
Beault led all Pioneer point-getters with four, using his two-goal, two-assist performance to etch his name into the program record books.
 
Morse, along with top-line mate Johnny Mulera, ended as the only other Pioneer skaters with multiple points in the contest. Morse had a goal and an assist in the action, while Mulera picked up two assists.
 
Hughes and Lundberg had the other two scores for the team, rounding out the goal-getters in the huge victory.
 
Gullichsen grabbed an assist, along with Tio D'Addario and Brian Scoville who each also nabbed a playmaker.
 
Scoville supplied some early energy, setting the tone with a few huge hits to allow the team to settle in.
 
The Pioneers outshot St. Norbert 38-27, also barely edging them out on faceoffs, with 48 wins in 84 attempts within the circle, a 57 percent win percentage.
 
Ryan Piros was outstanding in the game, displaying a veteran disposition well beyond his years as the freshman sensation had an excellent third period to shut out the Green Knights and secure the victory. Piros had 24 saves in his 60-minute standoff with a high-flying Green Knight offense. He also stood pat in a chaotic couple of minutes to end the game, claiming a Frozen Four appearance in his first year of collegiate hockey.
 
The Pioneers improved to 23-4-2 on the season, earning their second-consecutive Frozen Four appearance and third National Semifinal in program history. Utica will take on the CNE Champion, Curry College this coming Friday at a time and place to be determined. More information will be released once a location and time are known for the National Semifinal contest between the Pioneers and Colonels.