UTICA, NY - The second-seeded SUNY Geneseo men's hockey team raced out to a 4-0 first period lead on its way to defeating the top-seeded Utica Pioneers 7-3 to win their first United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Championship from Adirondack Bank Center on Saturday evening. Filip Wiberg was named Tournament MVP, and was joined by Adam Harris, Nicholas Kovacs, Payne Gatewood and Peter Morgan on the All-Tournament team.
The Knights, who entered the game ranked sixth nationally in the NCAA National Power Index, improve to 22-4-1 on the season and earned their first UCHC Championship in their first season in the league. Utica, who entered the game ranked third nationally in the NPI, fell to 21-4-2. The Pioneers were attempting to win their fourth straight UCHC Championship and sixth in program history. Utica has played in the title game in all eight UCHC seasons and are now 5-3 in league championship contests.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
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Filip Wiberg got the Ice Knights off to a hot start, scoring the team's first goal one minute into the period. Wiberg got the pass from Luke Panchisin and dragged it around the goalie for his first of the night. Stefan Miklakos followed up with his own after a two-on-one opportunity; Gabriel LaFlamme on the assist.
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LaFlamme netted his own goal at 12:31 off the rebound from a shot from Alex Dameski, giving the Knights a 3-0 lead. A minute later, Zach purcell made the between the leg pass to Wiberg, who nailed a one-timer past Utica's goalie. The Knights headed into the break leading Utica 4-0.
- Utica came back in the second, putting three goals of their own on the board in a span of 5:41 to cut the Knights lead to 4-3. Shane Murphy tallied a power-play goal 1:54 into the period, while Ben Schultheis scored at 5:09 and Jakob Breault converted on a 2-on-1 just 7:35 into the second period, sending the Adirondack Bank Center crowd into a frenzy.
- Geneseo continued to keep the pressure on. Jack McDonald found the back of the net after deflecting a shot from Payne Gatewood. Alex Dameski on the second assist. Carter Diceman had a breakaway with two minutes left in the period and found Gatewood wide open in Utica's zone, who deked around the goalie to flick it over his pad Geneseo ended the second with the 6-3 lead over the Pioneers.
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Peter Morgan sealed the deal with the team's last goal of the night after carrying the puck into the zone and sailing it through the goalies' legs at 8:59. Dakota Zarudnty was on the assist and Geneseo defeated the #4 Utica Pioneers 7-3.
QUICK FACTS:
WHAT'S NEXT:
Geneseo has earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while Utica is expected to earn an at-large bid into the tournament. Both teams will learn who their opponents are during the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Selection Show set for Monday, March 10 at 10 a.m.