UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and added three goals in the third period to earn a key ECAC Men's West Conference victory over host and nationally-ranked No. 15 Neumann University, 5-4, on Friday night.  The Pioneers have now won two in a row and improved to 7-1 in conference play this season headed into another crucial ECAC West game at Manhattanville on Saturday (7 p.m.).

Utica's Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) recorded his first collegiate two goal game, including a clutch third period tally to give UC a 4-2 lead 6:57 into the final period.  Junior forward Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) added a one goal and one assist outing, while junior Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) and freshman Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) each registered two assists.

UC completed the regular season sweep of the Knights and improved to 12-7 overall. Neumann's record fell to 11-6-2 overall and 3-5-0 in conference play.

The third period featured five goals as the two teams headed into the final 20 minutes knotted at 2-2. Utica's Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) gave UC a 3-2 lead 6:31 into the third period when he pushed home his fourth goal of the season past Neumann's Matt Gibney. Ammirato and Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) assisted on the first goal of the third. Just 26 seconds later Lynch struck with his fifth of the season to give UC a commanding two goal lead, 4-2.  Fitzpatrick posted the helper on Lynch's second goal of the evening.

Neumann made it a one goal game with 3:49 remaining in the third period when Joe Mitchell scored his second goal of the season to set the score at 4-3 in favor of Utica. 

Utica's Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) essentially sealed the victory with an empty net goal with 21 seconds left in the contest to hand the Pioneers a two goal lead, 5-3.  Neumann went on to add the games final goal with just eight seconds left on the clock, but it proved to be too late, as the Pioneers held on for the one goal victory.  

Valenti got the Pioneers on the board 13:17 into the first period when he slipped home a power-play goal, his ninth of the year, assisted by Ammirato and senior defender Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)). Lynch then gave UC a commanding 2-0 lead with 2:10 left in the first stanza as he posted his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Fitzpatrick and Valenti.

Neumann knotted the score at 2-2 with two tallies at 12:48 and 15:45 of the second period.

Utica freshman goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) earned his seventh win of the season and stopped 36 shots between the pipes for the Pioneers.

Gibney stopped 40 shots in net for the Knights and both teams went 1-for-5 on the power-play. 

Ammirato leads UC with 27 points on 10 goals and 17 assists this season, while Valenti ranks second on the team with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists). Fitzpatrick is the Pioneers top scoring freshman with seven goals and five assists this season.