UTICA, NY – Utica senior captain Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) scored a short-handed goal midway through the first period to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead and they never looked back en route to a convincing 8-1 victory over visiting Neumann in United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) action on Saturday night. The nationally-ranked No. 8/11 Pioneers were led by two goals and one assist from freshman left winger Eric Holland (Whitby, ON/Brockville Braves (CCHL)). 

Utica has now won two in a row and moved its record to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in UCHC play. Neumann remains winless as the Knights record fell to 0-3-1 and 0-1-1 in conference play. 
 
13 players netted at least one point for Utica on the evening. Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) continued his stellar sophomore campaign as he posted one goal and two assists. At the time of this release Haskin's six assists this season are tied for third in the country. D-man Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) totaled three assists, while Burmaster finished with two goals. Burmaster leads UC with four goals on the year. Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) and Justin Allen (Rochester, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) each added two assists, while JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)) added one goal and one assist.

The score was knotted at 1-1 late in the first period before the Pioneers took the lead for good following freshman Regen Cavanagh's (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) third goal of the season with 3:36 to go in the opening frame. Just 1:30 later, freshman JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)) netted his first career collegiate goal to give the Pioneers' a 3-1 lead heading into the second period. 

Holland, Haskin and Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) each registered a second period goal to put the Pioneers on top 6-1 after 40 minutes of action. 

Freshman goalie Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) was a rock in net for the second straight contest as he stopped 25 shots to earn his second collegiate victory. 

Holland and Burmaster added third period tallies to close out the scoring on the evening with the Pioneers ahead by seven goals.  UC has now outscored its opponents 13-2 in two UCHC games this season. 

Utica outshot Neumann 44-26 on the night and the Pioneers also went 2-for-3 on the power-play. 

Neumann's lone goal of the night came from Cullen Chin, while Sammy Bernard and Mike Cosentino combined for 36 saves in net for the visitors. 

The Pioneers have capped a four game home stand to open the season and will now hit the road for five straight games beginning with a key UCHC contest at Nazareth College on Friday at 7 p.m.