Elmira 6, Utica 3 - Box Score

Utica, NY (2-17-12) - The nationally-ranked No. 13 Utica College men's hockey team jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period but the Pioneers allowed the game's next five goals as nationally-ranked No. 11 Elmira College earned a 6-3 win and locked up the top seed in the upcoming ECAC Men's West Conference Tournament Friday night. Junior Evan Chlanda (Islip, NY/Springfield (EJHL)) led the late charge for the Pioneers with two third period goals, but it proved to be too late, as the Soaring Eagles added an empty-net insurance goal to seal the three goal victory.  Senior captain Tim Coffman (Elverson, PA/Laconia (AJHL)) was credited with two assists for the Pioneers. 

Playoff Scenarios: The Pioneers (15-8-2, 4-6-2 ECAC West) now need Elmira to defeat or tie host Neumann University on Sunday and they also need Hobart to lose or tie against Manhattanville on Saturday night in order to earn the third seed in the conference tournament and the right to travel to M'Ville next weekend.  If Neumann beats Elmira, and Hobart loses or ties against Manhattanville, then the Pioneers will earn the fourth seed and the right to host Hobart in the 4-5 play-in game next Wednesday night.  If Hobart wins against M'Ville and Neumann ties against Elmira then the Pioneers would host Neumann in the 4-5 play-in game on Wednesday.  If both Neumann and Hobart win, the Pioneers will drop to the fifth seed and they will have to travel to Neumann next Wednesday for the 4-5 play-in game.

The Pioneers broke the ice first when sophomore Jordan Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Northwood School) scored his fourth goal of the season even-strength, at 8:40, off a dish from junior Robert Etts (Smithtown, NY/Hitmen (EJHL)) to give UC a 1-0 lead.  The home team answered just under six minutes later, at 14:20, to knot up the contest 1-1, off a power-play score from Brendan Sanders.  Elmira's Darcy Vaillancourt and D'Arcy Oakes set-up the goal as the team's went into the first intermission tied. Utica outshot Elmira 12-8 in the first 20 minutes of action.

After four minutes of scoreless action in the second period, EC rattled off four goals over the course of 14 minutes to push to a convincing 5-1 advantage.  The first three Elmira goals were even-strength followed by a man-up goal, at 18:56, as the Soaring Eagles muscled a four goal edge headed into the final period.

UC cut the lead to three, at 11:30, in the third period off a power-play goal from junior Evan Chlanda (Islip, NY/Springfield (EJHL)) as Utica trailed 5-2.  Coffman and sophomore Jon Gaffney (Dover, NJ/Springfield Blues (NAHL)) set-up the Pioneer' score. Chlanda added his 15th goal of the year with less than three minutes to go to make the game interesting. The Pioneers' luck ran out with under a minute to go as Wes Consorti registered the game's final goal on an empty net.

Elmira outshot UC 20-13 in the final 40 minutes of action as the Soaring Eagles improved their overall record to 15-7-2 and 8-2-1 in conference play.  Evan Smith (Penticton, British Columbia/Calgary Royals (AJHL)) stopped 18 shots in net for UC before being replaced by classmate Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)) after two full periods of play. 

Make sure to visit www.ucpioneers.com for all of the latest ECAC Men's West Conference playoff updates as the weekend progresses. 

                                                                                                  --- www.ucpioneers.com ---