Wilkes-Barre, PA – Freshman Regan Cavanagh netted his second goal of the night on the power-play with just four seconds left in regulation to lift the Utica College men's hockey team to a thrilling 2-1 victory over host Wilkes University in UCHC Conference action on Friday night.  Regan's game-winner in the final moments of regulation was assisted by Tyler Dill (South Lake Tahoe, CA/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)).

The Pioneers have now won three in a row and improved to 7-5 overall and 6-2 in UCHC Conference action. Wilkes snapped a two game winning streak and saw its record move to 5-2 in UCHC play.

After a scoreless first period of action, Cavanagh handed the Pioneers a 1-0 lead on the power-play when he netted his seventh of the season off assists from Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) and Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) at the 14:21 marker of the second period.

The 1-0 score held for nearly 22 minutes until the home team knotted the score at 1-1 in the third period when Tyler Barrow scored his ninth of the season on the power-play to even the score with 3:45 to go in regulation.  Barrow's game-tying goal was assisted by Donald Flynn and Nick Fea.

Overtime seemed inevitable until Barrow's was charged with a cross-checking penalty with 1:07 left in regulation. The one skater advantage gave the Pioneers the edge they needed and Cavanagh pushed home the winner with four seconds left on the game clock, assisted by classmate Tyler Dill (South Lake Tahoe, CA/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)).
 
Cavanagh leads Utica with a team-best eight goals this season. He now has 12 points on the year. Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) remains the team leader in total points with 14 (six goals, eight assists).

Utica goalie Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) was a rock in net all night as he stopped 32 shots as the Pioneers were outshot 33-20 on the evening.  Utica finished 2-for-6 on the power-play and held Wilkes to a 1-for-7 effort in a contest that gathered 19 penalties for a total of 71 penalty minutes.

Brandon Gordan made 18 saves in net for Wilkes, a program experiencing incredible success considering it is in its first year of Division III men's hockey.

The Pioneers will look to keep momentum going into the semester break tomorrow night when they travel to King's College for a 4 p.m. conference matchup.  Utica returns home next on January 4^th for Boy Scout Night at the Adirondack Bank Center at 7 p.m.