UTICA, NY – The nationally-ranked No. 8/10 Utica College men's hockey team defeated visiting Lebanon Valley College 5-2 in United Collegiate Hockey Conference action at the Adirondack Bank Center on Sunday afternoon. 

The Pioneers improved to 11-1-1 overall at home this season and they are 7-1-1 in their last nine contests.  UC is now 16-4-1 overall and 9-3 in the UCHC.  Utica is the first team in the conference to nine UCHC victories and is currently in a three-way tie for first place with Stevenson and Lebanon Valley. Utica also avenged an early season one goal loss on the road to the Dutchmen. 

13 of the Pioneers 18 skaters scored at least one point in the victory.  Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) and Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)) each posted two assists for the home team.

The third period featured four goals between the two teams, but the Pioneers 3-0 lead after two periods proved to be the difference as the home team hung on for the three goal victory.

Utica's Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), one of the top scoring defenders in all of Division III hockey, got the Pioneers on the board in the first period when he netted a power-play goal at 14:58.  It was Carter's ninth goal of the season and he has scored at least one point in nine consecutive games. Justin Derlago (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Selkirk (MJHL)) and Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) were each credited with an assist on the goal. 

Utica added two second period goals to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the contest. Sophomore Devin Warfield (Cary, NC/Carolina Eagles (USPHL)) pushed home his third goal of the season off assists from Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) and Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)).  Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) added the Pioneers' third goal of the contest following a nice cross-ice setup from Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)).  Defender Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) was also credited with an assist on the goal.

Lebanon Valley threatened early in the third period when Russ Armbruster netted his fourth goal of the year to make it a 3-1 contest.  UC responded with a Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) goal less than four minutes later to take a three-goal lead right back, 4-1, with just under 13 minutes to go in regulation. Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) and Fritz assisted on Haskin's third goal of the season.  

LVC added a power-play goal midway through the third to make the score 4-2, but that was as close as the Dutchmen would get.  UC freshman Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) netted his first collegiate goal with 8:53 to go to help the Pioneers secure the 5-2 victory.  Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) and Fritz assisted on the final goal of the contest.

Sophomore goalie Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) picked up his fifth win of the year as he stopped 18 shots in the victory.  Lebanon Valley goalie Joel Eisenhower stopped 34 shots in the loss. 

The Pioneers earned a 39-20 shot advantage on the afternoon and also went 1-for-5 on the power-play.

Lebanon Valley's record dropped to 9-8-2 overall and 8-3-2 in the UCHC.

Utica hits the road next weekend when the Pioneers travel to Stevenson on Friday and Neumann on Saturday for two conference games.  Both contests are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.