Utica, NY (1/11/2013) – The nationally-ranked No. 5/8 Utica College men's hockey team opens up a four game road trip on Friday night when it travels to Cortland State for a non-conference affair against the Red Dragons at 7 p.m. Fans can listen to WPNR's radio broadcast of the contest on WPNR 90.7 FM or
click here to listen online.
Get Live Updates on Twitter: Fans can follow the action on Twitter
@UCPioneers.
Best Start Ever: The Pioneers, winners of six in a row, are off to their best start in the program's 12 year history … UC currently boasts an 11-2 overall record … UC's six game winning streak is tied with Williams for the fourth-longest in the country … UC's winning percentage of 84.6% ranks fifth in the country.
Last Time Against Cortland: The Pioneers defeated SUNY Cortland 5-2 on January 6, 2012 in front of a crowd of 3,255 at The Utica Memorial Auditorium …
Peter LaFosse (Merrimack, NH/Kimball Union Academy) led UC as he netted his first two collegiate goals, including the eventual game-winner …
Jon Gaffney (Dover, NJ/Springfield Blues (NAHL)) also scored two goals for the Pioneers.
All-Time Against Cortland: Utica has never lost to the Red Dragons in ten previous meetings … The Pioneers are 8-0-2 all-time against Cortland … Prior to this year Cortland had visited the Aud four years in a row, losing all four games.
Penalty Kill Leads the Nation: The Pioneers penalty kill unit is the best in the country as of Friday afternoon … UC has killed 48-of-53 penalties so far this season, good for a percentage of 90.6.
The Pioneers Score Goals: Utica currently ranks second in the country with an average margin of victory of 3.15 through 13 games … UC's average of 5.17 goals per game ranks third nationally … UC's defense has allowed an average of 2.00 goals per game which is tied for eighth nationally.
Tough to Get it Past Therrien: Utica junior net minder
Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)) is tied for fourth in the nation with a winning percentage of 90% … He currently holds a record of 9-1 between the pipes … His goals against average of 1.97 ranks 12th nationally.
The Country's Top Sophomore Scorer: Sophomore forward
Louie Educate (Chicago, IL/Aberdeen (NAHL)) ranks third in the country with an average of 1.92 points per game … The nation's top two leading scorers are both seniors … He is the only sophomore in the top ten in points per game … Educate is tied for first in the country with an average of 1.00 goal per game.
Olivieri Lighting it Up After Break: The holiday break was particularly helpful for the offensive production of freshman defender
Donny Olivieri (Philadelphia, PA/Bismarck (NAHL)) … Headed into the break Olivieri had just five points; in the last two games he posted seven points and catapulted himself into the nation's top five for defenseman scoring with an average of 1.00 point per game … He is also tied for 12th nationally in points per game among rookies.
--- www.ucpioneers.com ---
