UTICA, NY- The nationally ranked No. 7 Utica College men's hockey team scored three goals in 1:46 to earn a come-from-behind victory over visiting Nazareth College in UCHC Conference action Friday evening.
Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) led the Pioneers with two goals and one assist on the day.
Despite outshooting the Golden Flyers 19-4 in the first period, Utica found itself trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes of play thanks to goals by Austin Romzek and James McDonald. For the second game in a row, the Pioneers erased a two-goal deficit late in the second period to come away with their 13th win of the season and tenth win in the last 11 games.
Ammirato started the comeback at 15:45 of the second stanza as he took a feed from
Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) on a short-handed 2-on-0 rush. Burmaster pulled the goalie towards him then slid the puck across the top of the crease to Ammirato who buried it off the crossbar and in for his 13
th of the year.
Just 1:09 later, Ammirato struck again, this time off a pass from
Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) as he found Ammirato wide open in the slot to net his 14
th of the year.
Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) also assisted on the play.
Utica wasn't finished as just 37 seconds after Ammirato's equalizer,
Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) put in his fourth of the year off a feed from
Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) and
Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)). After a battle behind the net, Landrigan dished out a centering feed to Gerson who one-timed it in the back of the net when the goalie wasn't looking.
Utica added a power play goal by
Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and an insurance tally by Burmaster in the third to seal the deal. Ammirato, Carter,
Mikhail Bushinski (St. Paul, MN/Kenai River (NAHL)), and
Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) each registered one assist in the final frame.
Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) finished with 15 saves, including 10 in the final period to earn his ninth win of the season. Naz's Michael Tilford made 35 saves in the loss.
Utica was 1-for-5 on the power play, while holding the Golden Flyers to 1-for-9 on the man advantage. UC also came up with a huge 5-on-3 kill in beginning of the third period to preserve the one-goal lead at the time.
The Pioneers improve to 13-3 (7-2 UCHC) on the season and 8-1 at home. Utica will turn right around for a huge top-ten clash against No. 5 Oswego State on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
