UTICA, NY - The #12 Utica College men's ice hockey team did its part to remain at the top of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference standings on Friday. The Pioneers rode a thunderous first period start to a 3-0 advantage, and cruised over the final 40 minutes to a 4-1 victory over visiting Nazareth at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Utica is unbeaten in its first four games of the season at 3-0-1, and are now 3-0 in UCHC play to sit in first at the end of the night alongside Wilkes. The two other teams tied for first entering the night fell off the pace as Stevenson lost to Wilkes, and Nazareth lost to Utica.

The Pioneers have won three straight, and are unbeaten in nine straight regular season games dating back to last season. They are now unbeaten in thirteen straight regular season home games, and have not dropped a regular season conference home game in their last seventeen appearances against UCHC opposition. That streak runs back 734 consecutive days.

The Pioneers outshot their opponent in a 12th straight regular season contest by a count of 37-24, and were a force on special teams with a 2-of-5 clip on the power play, and a perfect 6-for-6 penalty kill effort.

A milestone night for defenseman Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) headlined the evening, as the senior had a goal and an assist to become just the fourth defenseman in school history to reach 50 points in his career. Fritz has a point in every game this season, and entered the evening second among defensemen nationally in points per game. He has points in nine straight regular season and postseason games, and has at least one point in his last four games against Nazareth.

Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) had a strong night for Utica with a goal and an assist, while Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) continued his torrid start with a pair of assists. The pair have points in all four games this season, and rank in the top ten nationally among all skaters in points per game. Osmundson continues to lead all rookies nationally with nine total points. Kasper Kjellkvist (Vaxjo, Sweden/Curry College (Commonwealth Coast Conf.)) and John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) also added goals in the win.

Sophomore goaltender Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) made his first start since mid-January, and electrified the crowd with 23 saves on 24 Nazareth shots. Counterpart Sean Kuhn responded to a first period barrage from Utica with a strong final two periods, and finished with 33 saves.

The Pioneers opened the night on a tear, as they controlled the flow of play for much of the first period and set the tempo against a Nazareth team that has played a methodical, structured style over the years. They outshot the Golden Flyers by a 13-9 margin, and built their largest lead in rapid fashion over the first 11:46 with a dominant effort.

The scoring parade began at 6:24 of the first period, when the Pioneers transitioned the puck forward, only to nearly get tied up along the left wing boards in transition. Nazareth had bunched over to the puck side to support defensively, leaving Connor Landrigan wide open as the puck came cross ice on an incisive pass from Osmundson. Landrigan received the puck in front of the right wing post, then manuvered around Kuhn as he sprawled out of his cage in a desperation effort and deposited the puck inside the post for a 1-0 lead. It was the first opening period goal allowed by Nazareth all season. 

A one goal lead became two as Utica was awarded its first power play of the night. The Pioneer first power play unit turned in a tremendous effort, and got Utica's special teams off on the right foot as unit quarterback Daniel Fritz (Harwood, MD/Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey)) pounded a point shot through traffic and into the back of the net for his third goal of the season off exemplary puck movement by Osmundson and Landrigan, who had the assists at 10:32.

Kasper Kjellkvist (Vaxjo, Sweden/Curry College (Commonwealth Coast Conf.)) tripled the lead at 11:46 when Vaden McManus (Fayetteville, NC/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) found the transfer forward slipping behind the defense on the right wing. He corralled the perfectly placed pass at the offensive blue line and raced in for a tight breakaway on Kuhn. The forward turned the puck to his backhand, and floated it over the shoulder of Kuhn for a 3-0 lead after one period of play.

Nazareth responded with a far more composed start to the second period, and the visitors got a lift 37 seconds into the frame as Justin Miller scored on an assist by Owen Kuhns. Utica edged Nazareth in the second period in shots by an 11-10 count as they still held a 3-1 lead after two periods.

A pair of five minute major penalties brought some of the most dramatic portions of the third period with them. Nazareth forward Ray Falso was tagged for a five minute facemask as the period approached its midpoint, and Utica turned in five consecutive minutes of siege on the Nazareth net. John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) scored his first regular season collegiate goal at 9:58, assisted by Donovan Ott (Lebanon, PA/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC Hockey)) and Buster Larsson (Bunkeflostrand, Sweden/Syracuse Stars (NCDC)), for Utica's lone score of the extended opportunity.

A five minute major on Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) with just over a minute left put the heat on Dickson and the Pioneers to keep the margin stagnant, and the penalty kill delivered with Kuhn pulled for the extra attacker. They withstood a late 6-on-4 barrage and kept Nazareth off the board as they finished off a 4-1 win.

The Pioneers continue on a five game homestand with two conference games next weekend. Utica will meet Lebanon Valley on Friday, before a matchup with Elmira on Saturday.