UTICA, NY - After a tense UCHC Championship affair, the Pioneers have finally reclaimed their rightful throne. The SUNY Geneseo Ice Knights, who had the Pioneers' number over the past few seasons, finally met their match on Saturday night at the Adirondack Bank Center, as a late equalizer was instantly erased thanks to the heroics of mid-season transfer Nicholas Rogers. The recent transfer etched his name into UCHC Championship lore, barreling through the Ice Knight defense to make it 2-1 just moments after the Ice Knights had found a third-period equalizer. The Pioneers would pour on two more empty net goals to clinch their sixth conference tournament title, cementing their spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament with a 4-1 victory.
 
The Pioneers improved to 19-7-1 on the season, while Geneseo fell to 18-8-1. The orange and blue also jumped up to fourth in the latest NPI rankings, solidifying their spot as a first-round host in next weekend's NCAA Tournament first round. Should the ranking hold, the team would host quarterfinal action with a win in next weekend's first round.
 
The orange and blue were dominant all night long, save for one slight blemish in the third period, as they outshot the opposition 40-10, and won 41 of a possible 66 faceoffs.
 
John Gutt would strike in the first period, finally finding a breakthrough after the Pioneers had fought tooth and nail for the initial lead. Gutt corralled a puck on the rebound, and slid it past the outstretched pads of Geneseo goalie Jacob Torgner to make it 1-0.
 
The second period ended up dead even, as neither team was able to update the scoresheet during the middle frame, setting up a tense final period of play.
 
In the final frame, the Ice Knights would score just seconds after the conclusion of a successful Pioneer penalty kill, knotting up the affair despite being outshot 32-11 up to that point. Instead of giving in to the pressure, the Pioneers and junior forward Nicholas Rogers went to work, with the mid-season transfer shedding four defenders en route to a wrap-around score under two minutes after Geneseo had tied the matchup. Now up 2-1 with just under six minutes remaining, the Pioneers held strong, salting away the clock and causing the Ice Knights to pull Torgner. The Pioneers would then conclude their UCHC Championship victory with empty net goals by Drake Morse and Aidan Hughes, bringing the game to its final score of 4-1.
 
Three Stars:
 
1st Star: Nicholas Rogers - Rogers was made for this moment, bringing a veteran disposition as one of the many upperclassmen on a junior-heavy Pioneer team. Rogers had scored four tough goals for the orange and blue entering this matchup, but none has ever been bigger than the game-winning goal that he slipped past Torgner to ensure the win. For his late-game heroics, Rogers was named the UCHC Tournament MVP and notched the defining moment in the team's Championship clincher.
 
2nd Star: Drake Morse - Pioneer captain Drake Morse was the only moose-clad man to have multiple points on the evening, as he netted the third goal and helped guide in the game-winning score to make his mark on the Championship victory. Morse had been extremely hot as of late, but kept up his scorching form in the team's biggest game of the season.
 
3rd Star: John Gutt - Gutt showed his senior leadership on this night, having one of his best games in the orange and blue. In addition to breaking the ice, Gutt secured 15 of a possible 19 faceoffs to help set the team up with prime positioning. Gutt's dominance on the draw was a major factor in the team outshooting their opposition by a lopsided margin. Gutt was also named to the All-Tournament team for his stellar play.
 
Here is the UCHC Championships' All-Tournament Team as decided by the league office and host institution:
 
2026 UCHC Men's Hockey Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player
Nicholas Rogers, Jr., F, Utica
 
2026 UCHC Men's Hockey Championship All-Tournament Team
G - Kyle Curtin, Utica
D - Alex German, Utica
D - Dakota Zarudny, SUNY Geneseo
F - John Gutt, Utica
F - Aiden Hughes, Utica
F - Filip Wiberg, SUNY Geneseo
MVP - Nicholas Rogers, Utica
 
Aidan Hughes would notch the fourth and final goal for the team, securing his spot on the All-Tournament Team due in large part to his three-point outing from last weekend.
 
Six Pioneers racked up an assist each in the win, with Alex German, Alexander Gullichsen, Morse, Preston Brighton, Eric Vitale, and Anthony Bax each adding an apple.
 
Kyle Curtin would get the start in net, and the senior would show off his spectacular stuff, logging nine saves including a stop with the toe of his pad to help secure the win.
 
The Pioneers will now await an opponent following Sunday night's NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Selection Show, which will air on NCAA.com starting at 9:30 PM. Keep an eye on our athletics website for more information about ticketing for the upcoming tournament.