ADRIAN, MI - The No. 6 Pioneers delivered a remarkable rally on Saturday afternoon to escape No. 8 Adrian undefeated, overcoming a four-goal third-period by Adrian before ultimately prevailing in a shootout, 1-0, to earn a hard-fought win over the Bulldogs, as the game goes into the books as a 4-4 tie.

In his first collegiate appearance, freshman goaltender Michael Modelski was spectacular between the pipes, turning aside all four Adrian shootout attempts, including a penalty shot in overtime, while Michigan native Drake Morse delivered the decisive shootout goal to send the orange and blue home with a shootout victory, and remain undefeated through the two-game set in Michigan.

The Pioneers made the most of their opportunities through the first 40 minutes, building a commanding 4-0 advantage behind two goals from Morse and additional tallies from Luke Chappelle and Friday overtime hero Nicholas Rogers. However, Adrian mounted an incredible third-period comeback, taking advantage of a five minute major by the orange and blue to get their offense organized, scoring four unanswered goals to erase the Pioneer lead and force overtime. Neither team could find the back of the net in the extra frame, even despite an Adrian penalty shot, which Modelski swept aside to keep the matchup in question. The scoreless overtime sent the contest to a shootout, where Modelski and Morse came through in the biggest moments to secure the win.

The Pioneer offense received goals from three different players, led by Morse, who scored twice, including the game's opening goal and a power-play tally. Rogers and Chappelle each added a goal of their own, while Jakub Galnor led the team with two assists, setting up both the Chappelle and Rogers goals. Paul Minnehan, Andrew Della Rovere, Aydin Parekh, and Evan Dantas also contributed assists. Della Rovere was strong at the faceoff dot, winning 18 of his 33 draws. In net, Modelski put together a phenomenal collegiate debut, stopping 43 of the 47 shots he faced, including all four attempts in the shootout and the penalty shot during overtime.

Three Stars:

First Star - Drake Morse: Morse delivered a clutch performance for the Pioneers in his home state, scoring twice in regulation before coming through with the decisive shootout goal to secure the victory. The Pioneer captain opened the scoring just 4:03 into the contest, finding a tight angle at the near post as he rattled the puck off an Adrian player, bouncing the puck into the net to provide the 1-0. Morse also added a power-play tally in the second period, sneaking behind the defense at the far post to help Utica build its four-goal advantage. After Adrian erased that lead, Morse stepped up in the fourth round of the shootout, finding the back of the net to give the Pioneers the edge they needed to come away victorious. He finished the afternoon with two goals and three shots on goal.

Second Star - Michael Modelski: Making his first collegiate appearance, Modelski delivered an outstanding performance under immense pressure, stopping 43 of the 47 shots he faced throughout regulation and overtime. The freshman was particularly impressive in the third period, turning aside 16 shots in a day where the Adrian offense tested his stamina. He also came up with the biggest stop of the afternoon in overtime, denying a penalty shot with a well-time poke check, before shutting out the Bulldogs across all four rounds of the shootout. Modelski's stellar debut helped the Pioneers secure a thrilling victory on the road and gave the freshman a stellar debut.

Third Star - Jakub Galnor: Fellow freshman Galnor played an important role in the Pioneer offense, recording a team-high two assists in the second period. The forward set up both Chappelle's goal at 4:29 and Rogers' tally just 2:38 later, helping Utica build its commanding four-goal advantage. Galnor also contributed defensively and was effective at the faceoff dot, winning 10 of his 20 draws on the afternoon.

The Pioneers finished the afternoon with 20 shots on goal, while Adrian generated 47 attempts. Modelski's 43 saves, along with his perfect performance in the shootout, proved to be the difference as Utica improved to 1-0-1 on the young season. Morse's shootout winner capped off a memorable afternoon for the orange and blue, who earned a hard-fought road victory against one of the nation's top programs.

Now the team will turn its attention to next Thursday, and a massive matchup with #2 Hobart. That much-anticipated battle is set for 7:00 PM at the NBT Bank Arena, with a return trip scheduled on Saturday for 4:00 PM at The Cooler.