Utica 12, Salve Regina 0 - Box Score

The nationally-ranked No. 10 Utica College men's hockey team sold out the Utica Memorial Auditorium for the first time in program-history Saturday night as the Pioneers routed visiting Salve Regina 12-0 in front of 4,000 fans.  The Pioneer nation turned out to take part in the seventh annual New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss, and after UC's Ridge Garbutt (Toronto, Ontario/Brewster Academy (NH)) netted the first goal of the contest with less than five minutes to go in the first period, 4,500+ teddy bears began to fly out onto the ice for collection and distribution to local children throughout the holiday season.

The Pioneers (8-3) wrapped up the weekend series at home with two consecutive shut outs headed into the semester break.  They will return to the ice on the road on Dec. 30th when they travel to the Plattsburgh Invitational to take on Castleton State at 4 p.m.  The 12-0 win tied the largest margin of victory in the program's 11-year history and 16 of 18 skaters scored at least one point to pace the Pioneers. 

UC jumped out to a 4-0 lead over the course of the first two periods and the Pioneers poured it on in the final 20 minutes, scoring eight goals in the final stanza to seal the convincing victory.  Sophomore forward Jon Gaffney (Dover, NJ/Springfield Blues (NAHL)) scored all three of his goals in the third period and he led the Pioneers with four total points. Garbutt, sophomore Mike Slowikowski (Ewing, NJ/N.J. Hitmen (EJHL)), George Lotito (Staten Island, NY/NH Jr. Monarchs (EJHL)) and Trever Hertz (Jaffray, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires (BCHL)) each recorded three points, while Evan Chlanda (Islip, NY/Springfield (EJHL)), Tim Coffman (Elverson, PA/Laconia (AJHL)), Max White (Sands Point, NY/NY Bobcats (AJHL)), Justin Hogan (Val Therese, Ontario/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and Jordan Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Northwood School) each added two points for the Pioneers.  Sophomore Adam Graff (Bear, DE/Syracuse Stars (EJHL)) also chipped in with one goal for UC. 

Utica is now 5-1-1 all-time in Teddy Bear Toss contests and this marked UC's first-ever meeting against Salve Regina. 
Sophomore goalie Evan Smith (Penticton, British Columbia/Calgary Royals (AJHL)) stopped all 12 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season. Mike McDonald stopped 33 shots in net for the visitors. 

UC and New York Sash have now collected over 15,000 stuffed animals over the course of the last seven years. 

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