UTICA, NY - A Central New York rivalry is renewed for the 25th time on Friday, January 11th as the Utica College men's ice hockey team visits No. 5 Oswego State in non-conference action. Opening faceoff at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego is scheduled for 7 p.m. as the Pioneers go in search of their sixth consecutive victory.

Follow Along: Live video with replay and multiple camera angles will be available online via WTOP-10, Oswego's student-run television station at http://www.wtop10.com/live/. Live audio from Oswego State radio station WNYO 88.9 FM is available at https://www.wnyo889.org/, and live stats are available at http://sidearmstats.com/oswego/mhockey/. All three options are available to fans free of charge.

The Series: This will be the 25th all-time meeting between Utica and Oswego. Utica trails the all-time series with six wins, fourteen losses, and four ties. The series began with a Utica win in the 2002-03 season and has featured numerous high profile clashes since. In 2006-07, the teams split the season series as Oswego went on to their only national title later that year. In 2012-13, Utica swept the season series from the Lakers including winning by their largest margin in series history by a 6-0 score at home. Both teams would advance to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four weekend in Lake Placid at the end of that season. The 2014-15 season brought with it a special opportunity as the teams played to a 4-4 tie at the Carrier Dome in front of a Division III record crowd. Last season, the teams met once and played to a 3-3 tie. The schools are separated by an approximately 90 minute drive and sport the two strongest average attendance figures in the nation. Utica is searching for its first win over Oswego since the 2012-13 season.

Last Year's Meeting: Utica pulled ahead 3-2 with just under four minutes to go on a goal by Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, NJ/Union College (ECAC)), but Oswego's Mitchell Herlihey scored with just 29 seconds remaining with the extra attacker to send the game to overtime in a 3-3 tie on January 20th, 2018. Kyle Lajeunesse (South Berwick, ME/New Hampshire (EHL)) had two assists for the Pioneers while Ammirato, Fritz, and Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)) all scored goals. Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) also added an assist. Michael Gillespie and Mitchell Herlihey each had a goal and assist for the Lakers. Oswego outshot Utica 34-31 for the game and 3-1 in the overtime. In goal, Patrik Virtanen (Vantaa, Finland/Lincoln (USHL)) made 31 saves while David Richer turned away 28 for the Lakers.

Where They Stand: The Pioneers are presently 9-5-0, and reside in first in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference with a conference mark of 7-2-0. Utica has won its last five games since its last loss to No. 1 UW-Stevens Point on Thanksgiving weekend, and has won six of its last seven outings as well. Over the last five games, the Pioneers have outscored opponents 22-3 and Utica has not allowed more than one goal in a game at any point in that span.

In The Polls: Utica received four votes in the D3hockey.com Poll and two votes in the US College Hockey Online Men's Top 15 this week. In the D3hockey.com poll, the Pioneers have been continually receiving votes but have not been in that ranking since the poll's November 12th edition. A win over Oswego would almost assuredly vault Utica back into the polls.

Last Time Out: Utica surrendered the early lead to Skidmore as the visitors capitalized on a first period odd man rush, but the Pioneers otherwise held strong puck possession and shut down the Thoroughbreds the rest of the way as they bounced back from the early score to win 5-1 in a raucous non-conference matchup at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.  Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) got Utica on the board with his third goal in his last three home appearances when he flushed a rebound from JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)) at 4:30 of the second period to tie the game at one. Just past the midpoint of the second period, it was Entelisano's time to shine as he notched the game-winning goal assisted by Fitzpatrick and Cameron Bartkoski (Dallas, TX/Amarillo Bulls (NAHL)). Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) made the most of an opportunity created on a broken play by the Thoroughbreds as he split the five hole of Skidmore netminder Brian Kowalski to give Utica a 3-1 lead after two periods. The Pioneers never looked back in the third as Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) scored his second of the year from a thin angle on the left wing side and Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) scored to break a five game goal scoring drought as Utica ran away to the win. Utica outshot the Thoroughbreds 30-22, with Gianluca Baggetta's (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) 21 saves earning the win. The Utica penalty kill shined in the victory as they killed off a five minute major penalty and a 5-on-3 situation late in the third period to hold the Skidmore power play at 0-for-6. The two teams combined for 91 penalty minutes. JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)), Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)), and Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) each had a goal and an assist.

At Home: Utica is 5-2 in their first seven home games of the regular season, and have won their last five home outings since being swept by current No. 3 Adrian to open the season. The Pioneers have outscored their opponents 33-10 in all home games, and 25-3 in four home conference games. Utica has six home games remaining.

On The Road: The Pioneers are hoping to continue the progress they've made in establishing a more consistent effort on the road this weekend. Utica is just 4-3 when playing away from the Aud, and is outscoring opponents just 22-18 when out of its friendly confines. However, the Pioneers have won their last two matchups away from home, and three of its last four in a span that began with Utica's mammoth third period rally at St. Thomas and continued with a UCHC road sweep at Wilkes and King's in December.

The Fearless Leader: Senior captain Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) currently sets the team pace in total points with 18, including a team-best eight goals and ten assists. The Clinton, NY native and former Colorado College Tiger has become the team's top scorer largely due to a recent hot streak. With an assist against Skidmore, Burmaster's point streak now stands at seven straight games going back to a November 23rd win against St. Thomas in Wisconsin. Across that stretch, he has recorded four goals and nine assists for thirteen points. He has scored one power play goal and one shorthanded goal this season. He is fifth in the conference and tied for 35th in the nation with his average of 1.29 points per game. He is 59th in the nation in assists per game, and 49th in the country in goals per game. He has a multi-point outing in three of his last four games.

 

Moving On Up: With his goal and assist effort against Skidmore, sophomore Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) has climbed up from 77th to 63rd on the national points per game leaderboard at 1.14 points per game. He has four goals and a team-best twelve assists for sixteen total points. His sixteen points are second on the squad behind Burmaster.
 

On The Plus Side: Utica was led on Friday in the plus/minus by forward Jacob Gerson (Colorado Springs, CO/Hampton Roads (USPHL)), who finished at a +3. Freshman defenseman Justin Allen (Rochester, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) turned in an impressive overall game and finished at a +2 despite not having any points in the matchup.

Borsoi Bringing It: Senior defenseman Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) is fifteenth among defensemen nationally in points per game with 0.93 points per game. He is third on the Pioneer roster this season in total points with thirteen points on four goals and nine assists. He needs just four more points to match last year's career- best total of 17 points for the season.

Goaltender of the Week: Utica College goaltender Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) was named the United Collegiate Hockey Conference goaltender of the week on Tuesday after his 21 save performance against Skidmore.

Rookie of the Week: Utica College freshman forward JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)) was named the UCHC Rookie of the Week on Tuesday after he posted a goal and an assist against Skidmore.

Rutkowski Rides Again: Transfer defenseman Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) will find himself in the midst of familiar environs when he takes the ice at the Campus Center on Friday night. Rutkowski transferred from Oswego to Utica in the middle of last season and became a key component of Utica's UCHC Championship run. While at Oswego, Rutkowski appeared in 21 games and posted just two assists. He is the only active player at Utica with NCAA tournament game experience as he was in the lineup for Oswego's opening round loss to Hamilton in the 2017 NCAA tournament.

They've Done It Before: Two players on Utica's active roster have scored in games against Oswego. Defenseman Dan Fritz scored in the first period of last year's 3-3 tie, and forward Jarrod Fitzpatrick (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) scored two years ago in the Pioneers' 4-1 loss at the Campus Center.

Don't Hassle Me, I'm Local: Utica has four skaters on its roster that grew up in Central New York between Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)), Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)), Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)), and JT Entelisano (Rome, NY/Markham Royals (OJHL)), and all four players found a way to contribute with points in Utica's win over Skidmore on Friday. Three of the four played high school hockey in Section III with Rutkowski and Entelisano playing for Rome Free Academy, and Lynch skating for Rome's longtime Section III Division I rival West Genesee. Burmaster did not play for Clinton High School, instead spending that time at Kimball Union Academy under Utica alumnus and former assistant coach Mike Levine before going off to junior and college hockey. Former Rome Free Academy goaltender Ethan Siderine (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) has dressed but not appeared in a game this season.

One is the Loneliest Number: Utica has held every opponent to one goal or less, including two shutouts in its last five games. That effort has vaulted Utica into a top ten ranking nationally in scoring defense going into Friday's game, where Utica now stands tied with Oswego at 2.00 goals allowed per game.

In Goal: Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) and Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) have split time in net for the Pioneers this season. In eight starts, Baggetta is 5-3 with a goals against average of 1.95 and a save percentage of 93.3 percent. Dickson is 4-2 in six starts with a goals against average of 1.79 and a save percentage of 93.3 percent.

Special Teams: The Utica power play is 10-of-71 this season, good for a 14.1 percent clip. The man advantage unit has not cashed in for Utica in its last eleven chances. On the penalty kill, the Pioneers rode a perfect effort on Friday to climb up to 23rd nationally at 85.5 percent.

About The Lakers: No. 5 Oswego is 11-3-0 entering Friday's game, and the Lakers have won their last four games after losing to Williams in overtime, 2-1, in their first game back from the break. Three wins in their four game win streak have come against teams that have been ranked or receiving votes this season. Most recently, the Lakers topped UCHC team Nazareth 3-0 on Tuesday in a neutral site game played at the Skaneateles YMCA's Allyn Arena. Up front the Lakers are led by Michael Gillespie, who has five goals and thirteen assists for eighteen total points. Josh Zizek is second on the team in points and has eight goals and seven assists for fifteen points while also sporting four power play goals. The Oswego power play has been scorching hot this season at 31.8 percent, which leads the nation. David Richer is the team's primary starter in goal with a 7-3 record this season.

Up Next: Utica takes to the road to polish off a three game road trip next Friday and Saturday as they visit Neumann and Manhattanville for a UCHC Weekend set. Utica beat both teams by a combined 13-2 margin on their opening conference weekend.