UTICA, NY - The Utica College men's ice hockey team took its first regulation defeat of the season on Saturday night. Visiting Elmira College bolted out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and scored three power play goals, and the Pioneers never fully recovered as the Soaring Eagles topped Utica by a 4-2 count in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference matchup at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Before the game, the Pioneers honored World War II veteran Edward McClintock for his service in the United States Navy. The evening's jersey auction was also a success with every available jersey sold in full before puck drop.

The loss puts Utica at 3-1-2 in its first six games, and the Pioneers are now 3-1-1 in conference play. The defeat was Utica's first regular season conference home loss in over two calendar years, with the Pioneers rattling off an unbeaten streak of 18 straight UCHC home games in the regular season without a loss since a November 2017 meeting with Elmira. The Pioneers are now fourth in the standings with ten standings points at the conclusion of the night's action. Elmira is now 4-3-1 overall and tied for second in the conference.

Utica was outshot in the game by a 36-29 margin.  Elmira had three power play goals in five opportunities, while Utica was an efficient 1-for-2. Chris Janzen had 27 saves to earn the win for Elmira, while Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) stopped 32 in the loss.

Donovan Ott (Lebanon, PA/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC Hockey)) had a goal and an assist for the Pioneers on the night, and Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) reached the ten point mark in just six career games with a third period goal.

Connor Powell had two assists for Elmira.

Elmira rang up a pair of goals in just under fourteen minutes to start play as Graham Denomme scored at even strength for his first career goal at 9:14, and 2018 All-American Nick Ford scored his fourth of the year at 13:49 of the first.

The Pioneers responded before the period was out. Donovan Ott (Lebanon, PA/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC Hockey)) capitalized on a power play marker at 17:06, and the score was 2-1 after 20 minutes. Shots on goal for the opening period registered at 11-9 in favor of Elmira.

The visiting club controlled much of the middle period as it progressed, but neither team was able to pot a goal in the middle frame. Elmira held a 15-7 shots advantage in the second period of play.

Elmira made its move on special teams with a pair of third period power play goals off the tape of Matthew Cuce and Christian Lloyd to take a 4-1 lead. The Pioneers recorded one final goal in the contest with just under five minutes left as Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) split the pads of Janzen and canned his fourth goal of the season. Ott and Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) picked up the assists. Utica continued to make a run at closing the gap with the extra attacker, but Elmira held off those attempts en route to a 4-2 road win.

Utica will host the Utica Thanksgiving Showcase on Friday and Saturday, November 29th and 30th. The Pioneers will meet Plymouth State on Friday at 7 p.m., with either Oswego or Salve Regina waiting in the wings on Saturday.