UTICA, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 7/9 Utica College men's hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie against No. 5/5 Oswego State at the Adirondack Bank Center on Saturday afternoon.  Eight different players registered at least one point for the Pioneers as their record moved to 13-3-1 overall on the season.

With the score knotted at 2-2 late in the third period, Utica leading scorer Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) slapped a rebound out of mid-air and into the back of the net to give the Pioneers a 3-2 lead with 3:40 left in regulation. It was Ammirato's third goal of the weekend, and team-best 15^th of the season, to hand the Pioneers a one goal lead. Ammirato's goal was assisted by senior Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) and freshman Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)).

Oswego pulled its goalie with under a minute to go and netted the equalizer with 29 ticks left in regulation to send the contest into overtime.  Oswego's Mitchell Herlihey scored the game-tying goal, assisted by Michael Gillespie and Joseph Molinaro. Merlihey finished the evening with one goal and one assist for the Lakers.

Utica took an early 1-0 lead when Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) ripped home a power-play goal, which was assisted by Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) and Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)), midway through the first period.  Oswego answered just 29 seconds later when Gillespie netted his seventh of the year to the game at 1-1 through 20 full minutes of action.

Oswego then took a 2-1 lead on the power-play early in the second period.  Mitch Emerson scored his sixth of the year to give the visitor's a one goal advantage. 

Utica senior forward Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) tied the game up at 2-2 when he scored a hard-working goal in front of the net at 13:56 of the second.  Lajeunesse and Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) were each credited with an assist on the game-tying goal. Lajeunesse finished the day with a team-best two points.

Both goalies played well in the OT period and the two Central New York rivals capped the 65 minutes of action tied at 3-3.  Sophomore goalie Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) stopped 31 shots as his record moved to 9-2-1 overall on the season.  David Richer made 28 saves in net for the Lakers.

Utica returns to the ice next Friday for its final non-conference contest of the season when the Pioneers host Bryn Athyn at 7 p.m.

Utica is now unbeaten in its last five contests.  The Pioneers have eight games left on their regular season schedule.

Oswego's record is now 12-3-2 overall. The Lakers earned a slight 34-31 shot advantage and both teams finished the day with one power-play goal.