Plattsburgh, NY -- The Utica College men's hockey team downed New England College Saturday, 4-0, in the third place game at the Buck Supply Winter Classic, hosted by Plattsburgh State. Senior Louie Educate (Chicago, IL/Aberdeen (NAHL)) led UC with two goals and one assist. 
 
The Pioneers improve to 6-5-3 and they are now 4-1-1 in their last six games.  Utica remains on the road as it travels to Castleton State College next Saturday for a rematch of this year's home-opener.   Game time is set for 7 p.m.
 
After a scoreless first period, Utica was able to net two goals in each of the remaining periods to capture the victory.  Educate got things rolling at 8:11 of the second as he put in his seventh of the season, assisted by Justin Hogan (Val Therese, Ontario/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and Easton Powers (South Lyon, MI/Port Huron (NAHL)).  Freshman Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) added an insurance goal with just over 1:30 remaining in the second stanza for his fourth of the season.  Educate and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) assisted on the power play tally.
 
The Pioneers carried the momentum into the final frame as Valenti buried the puck for his fifth of the year off assists from Trent Samuels-Thomas (West Hartford, CT/Omaha (USHL)) and Vinny Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)).  Educate capped off the scoring at 16:38 of the third on the power play with his second of the day, assisted by Lajuenesse. 
 
Freshman Cory Simic (Whitby, Ontario/Smith Falls (CCHL)) stopped all 30 shots he faced as he picked up his first career win and his first collegiate shutout.  Brett Kilar made 28 saves in net for the Pilgrims.  Utica went 2-for-4 on the power play, while New England College was held scoreless on seven opportunities with the man-advantage. 



                                                                        --- www.ucpioneers.com ---