ECAC Men's West Release

Utica, N.Y. (2-24-12) – Three members of the Utica College men's hockey team were named to ECAC Men's West All-Conference teams on Thursday. Senior captain Tim Coffman (Elverson, PA/Laconia (AJHL)) earned his second straight first team all-conference honor and junior forward Evan Chlanda (Islip, NY/Springfield (EJHL)) earned second team all-conference honors for the second time in as many years.   Sophomore defender Mike Slowikowski (Ewing, NJ/N.J. Hitmen (EJHL)) garnered an honorable mention after being named to the conference's all-rookie team one year ago. 

This is familiar territory for Coffman, Chlanda and Slowikowski, as they all earned all-rookie team recognition in their first season with the Pioneers and they have been fortunate enough to earn an all conference honor in each post season that followed. 

The two standout forwards led the Pioneers in points scored this year, as Chlanda finishing the year with 34 points and Coffman wrapped up his career right on Chlanda's heels, with 33 points. These potent scoring numbers ranked first and second in ECAC West, respectively.

Coffman, the team captain, had a highlight filled season for the Pioneers, as he tied and then broke a seven year old school scoring record, which was set by All-American Jimmy Sokol back in 2005. Coffman recorded his 130th point on Jan. 28th in a win against Hobart to etch his name in the College's record books.

This season marks the fourth straight year that Coffman has scored 33 or more points in a single season. He was consistent all year long, scoring atleast two points in 10 different games, and he was held scoreless only four times on the year - another career best.

Chlanda, who is no stranger to post season accolades, recorded 16 goals and dished out 18 assists for the Pioneers this season. The junior forward not only led the Pioneers and the ECAC West in scoring, but he was held off the stat sheet just twice all season. In the final eight games of the year Chlanda turned on the jets, notching 12 of his 34 points.  As a sophomore he tallied 24 total points, giving him 58 over the course of the last two seasons.

Slowikowski, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Ewing, N.J., led all Utica defensemen with five goals and he also chipped in with seven assists for a total of 12 points.  He also helped the Pioneers' defensive unit compile a 2.82 goals against average to go along with three shut outs in 26 games.  He now has 22 points in 51 career games played. 

The Pioneers finished the season with a 15-9-2 record, good enough for a fourth place regular season finish in arguably the nation's toughest conference. On Wednesday the Pioneers faced off against rival Neumann University at the Utica Memorial Auditorium and they had the Knights on the ropes all game before falling in overtime by a score of 4-3.

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