Box Score Box Score

Cortland 5, Utica 0 - Men's Hockey Final

Cortland, NY (1/11/2013) - The nationally-ranked No. 5/8 Utica College men's hockey team snapped a six game winning streak on Friday night after a 5-0 loss to host Cortland State.  The Pioneers lost to the Red Dragons for the first time in 11 meetings and UC dropped to 11-3 overall on the year headed into Sunday's road contest at Western New England (7 p.m.). Lyle Rocker stopped all 31 of the shots he faced in net for Cortland. 

The Pioneers were shut out for just the second time this season and they headed into the contest ranked third in the country with an average of 5.17 goals per game.  Cortland improved to 5-8-2 overall and it has now won three of its last four contests. 

Utica trailed 2-0 after one full period of play and they allowed an early goal in the second period to trail 3-0.  Cortland went on to add two more third period goals, including an empty-netter, to hand the Pioneers their most lopsided loss of the season. 

Nick Zappia netted a hat-trick for the Red Dragons. Michael Lysyj netted one goal and added one assist, while A.J. Moyer added a goal of his own.  Cortland out shot Utica 34-31 on the night, including a 16-8 advantage in the final period.

Zappia scored his first of the night on a sharp-angled shot from the left side four minutes into the first period. Lysyj made it 2-0 at 10:48 when his wrist shot from the right circle bounced off Therrien and into the goal. After Cortland was whistled for a penalty to start the second period before the faceoff, Zappia netted a short-handed goal 23 seconds later, stuffing the puck past Taffe on the right side of the goal.

Moyer scored at 8:45 of the third period when he took a pass from Lysyj and deked Ceasar in front to make it 4-0.

Zappia completed the scoring and his hat trick, rifling in a rebound on the left side into an empty net at 17:22 after Utica pulled Ceasar for an extra skater. The Red Dragons host 12th-ranked Manhattanville, Saturday at 7 p.m. 

UC used all three of its goaltenders on the afternoon as Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)), Mike Taffe (Maple Grove, MN/Amarillo (NAHL)) and Gordon Ceasar (Oak Park, CA/Rochester (EJHL)) all saw action in between the pipes. Ceasar led the trio with 21 saves. 

The Pioneers have lost just two games in their last nine contests.

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