UTICA, NY- The Utica College men's hockey team returns from break this weekend as the Pioneers kickoff the New Year at the Pathfinder Bank Classic, hosted by Oswego State.  Utica will first play Curry College in semifinal action on Friday at 4 p.m. at Marano Campus Center Ice Arena. UC will return on Saturday for either the championship game (7 p.m.) or consolation game (4 p.m.) against either Oswego State or Wisconsin-EAU Claire.
 
Game Coverage: Links to live video and live stats can be found on the men's hockey schedule page at ucpioneers.com… Fans can also visit the tournament webpage (http://oswegolakers.com/sports/2017/1/3/MHKY_Pathfinder_2017.aspx)
for game coverage and scores each day. 
 
Last Time Out: Utica snapped a four game skid on December 17^th when the Pioneers hosted Morrisville State for the 12th Annual New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss … The visiting Mustangs jumped out to a two-goal lead in the second period, but the Pioneers erased the deficit with three unanswered goals to down the Mustangs 3-2 in overtime … Senior captain Kevin Kirisits (Buffalo, NY/Brockville (CCHL)) netted the coveted Teddy Bear Toss goal for the Pioneers, igniting the holiday toy drive which resulted in the collection of over 4,000 stuffed animals … In the third period, sophomore Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) scored his third goal of the season to tie the game up at 2-2, ultimately sending the content into overtime … In the extra frame, Utica junior Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) scored the game-winner.

Overall Record: Utica is currently 9-4 overall … The Pioneers started the season as one of the hottest teams in the country, jumping out to a program-best 8-0 record, and a national ranking as high as No. 4 according to USCHO.com … The Pioneers then hit a bump in the road with four consecutive losses  … UC remains atop the ECAC West standings with a 6-0 conference ledger and holds a four point lead over Hobart, Manhattanville and Nazareth, who are all tied for second with a 4-2 record in ECAC West play.
 
Penalty Kill Success: The Pioneers lead the country with six short-handed goals… Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)), Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)), and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) each have two short-handed goals on the season. 
 
High Scoring First Half: Junior forward Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) leads the team and ranks third in the ECAC West with an average of 1.54 points per contest … He started his career at Utica with an 11 game scoring streak until being held without a point in each of his last two outings before break … Ammirato has seven multi-point games this season. 
 
Helping Out: Junior Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) is tied for sixth in the league in scoring with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists)… Valenti is also tied with classmate Vince Stefan (Pittsburgh, PA/Kenai River (NAHL)) for first in the league in short-handed points (three)… Senior defenseman Connor Schmidt (Monroe, MI/Arizona State (D1-Ind.)) ranks second in the conference with eight power play points (one goal, seven assists), while Ammirato is tied for third with seven points on the power play… Junior Mikhail Bushinski (Woodbury, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)) is third on the team with 12 points on three goals and nine assists this season.
 
Strong D: Schmidt and Stefan are tied for fourth in the league in scoring by defensemen with ten points each… The Pioneers ranks second in the ECAC West in scoring defense with 2.77 goals allowed per game. 
 
In the Crease: Goalies Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) and Henry Dill (Columbus, OH/UMASS (Hockey East)) have split time in net so far… Virtanen holds a 5-2 record with a .918 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average… Dill meanwhile is 4-2 with a save percentage of .902 and a 3.16 goals against average. 
 
Scouting Curry College:  The Curry Colonels are 7-3-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference…  Curry beat Manhattanville 7-4 on the road on Dec. 10…  Junior Shane Tracy recorded a hat trick, with four other players each scoring one goal…  Vankleef is a key component to the team's offense as he has scored a team-high 11 goals this season, while Jake Heisinger has a team-best 12 assists.
 
Scouting Oswego State: Oswego State is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest USCHO.com poll after starting the season 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the SUNYAC Conference… The Lakers head into this weekend on a three-game skid…  Senior Kenny Neil has scored a team-high nine goals this season while classmate Alex Botten leads the team in assists with 13...  On the defensive side, goalies Matt Zawadski and David Jacobson have split time in net… Jacobson holds a .917 save percentage, while Zawadski has a .914 save percentage and a 1.86 goals against average. 
 
Scouting Wisconsin-Eau Claire: Wisconsin-Eau Claire is ranked No. 4 is the latest national poll with a 10-1-3 overall record...  Their last win came at home against Marian on New Year's Eve.  Jesse Tredinnick, Patrick Moore, Todd Koritzinsky, Mac Jansen, and Garret Clemment each scored a goal in the Blugolds 5-1 victory over Marian…  Jansen has scored a team high ten goals this season while Moore leads the team in assists with 15…  Blugolds goaltender Jay Deo has played in all 14 games and compiled a .915 save percentage. 
 
Against the Lakers: The Pioneers are 6-13-3 all-time against Oswego… Utica tied the Lakers 0-0 at home on Jan. 8 last season, before falling 4-2 at Oswego the next week… Utica's last win against Oswego came in the 2012-13 season when the Pioneers swept the two game series, 3-2 and 6-0.
 
Against the Colonels: Utica played a home game against Curry College on December 6, 2014...  The Pioneers had no issues against the Colonels as they beat them 5-1… Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)), Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), and Easton Powers (South Lyon, MI/Port Huron (NAHL)) each finished with one goal and one assist.    
 
Against the Blugolds: The last time the Pioneers and Blugolds met was in the NCAA Division III men's hockey tournament semifinal in Lake Placid on March 15, 2013.  Wisconsin-Eau Claire defeated the Pioneers 5-1 en route to a National Championship.
 
Looking Ahead: After the Pathfinder Classic, the Pioneers will return home next Friday to faceoff against the University of New England.  Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.