Box Score Utica 6, Salve Regina 2 - Box Score

Utica, NY (1-4-13) – The nationally-ranked No. 8/8 Utica College men's hockey team extended its win streak to five straight Friday in front of a crowd of 3,404 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium after beating Salve Regina, 6-2.  UC returns to action Saturday night as it hosts nationally-ranked No. 2/2 Oswego State at the Aud (7 p.m.). UC's five game winning streak is tied for the sixth longest active streak in the country as of late Friday night.

The Pioneers continued their program-best 10-2 start to the season and they are now 2-0 all-time against the Seahawks (UC defeated Salve Regina 12-0 last year).  Sophomore Louie Educate (Chicago, IL/Aberdeen (NAHL)) led the way for UC with two goals and one assist.  Educate now ranks fifth in the country with an average of 1.83 points per contest. 

UC jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead just under four minutes into the game as Steve Charest (Amqui, Quebec/Walpole Express (AJHL)) put home an even-strength goal at 16:22 off a dish from Adam Graff (Bear, DE/Syracuse Stars (EJHL)). Just seven seconds later, the Pioneers found the back of the net off the face-off at 16:15 as UC leading scorer Louie Educate (Chicago, IL/Aberdeen (NAHL)) netted his tenth goal of the season off an assist from Ridge Garbutt (Toronto, Ontario/Brewster Academy (NH)).

Educate continued his banner year just .50 into the second period, ripping home his team-best 11th goal of the season, off a pass from junior assistant captain Jon Gaffney (Dover, NJ/Springfield Blues (NAHL)), at 19:50 to give UC a 3-0 lead.  Gaffney would slide in a score of his own a little over three minutes later at 16:13 as Educate returned the favor, alongside a set up from Donny Olivieri (Philadelphia, PA/Bismarck (NAHL)), to grant Utica a commanding 4-0 lead.  Clinton, NY native Jordan Hobaica (Clinton, NY/Northwood School) capped the second period scoring at 11:30 as he converted an even-strength score from George Lotito (Staten Island, NY/NH Jr. Monarchs (EJHL)) and Adam Graff (Bear, DE/Syracuse Stars (EJHL)).

The visitors came out of the locker room with two quick scores in the final period to cut the UC lead to three, 5-2.  Salve Regina's Cameron Gaudet netted a power-play goal just .11 seconds into the third, before Trey Rasmussen drilled the visitors' second score at 1:48.  However, the Pioneers would prove too tough as Olivieri answered at 5:03 to regain a four-goal lead for UC as it went on to win 6-2.

UC goalie Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)) moved to an impressive 8-1 on the season, while Salve Regina keeper Mike McDonald falls to 2-4-1. Therrien stopped 12 shots and did not allow a goal before being relieved by back up Mike Taffe (Maple Grove, MN/Amarillo (NAHL)), who stopped 16 shots. MacDonald made 41 saves in net for the visitors as the Pioneers outshot Salve 52-30. 

Therrien's winning % of .889 ranks fifth in the nation.  The Pioneers have now scored 61 goals in 12 games, good for an average of 5.08 goals per game (4th nationally). 

The Seahawks returns to action Saturday at Geneseo.


                                                                                                                                  ---www.ucpioneers.com---