UTICA, NY - After a difficult conference weekend, the No. 12 Utica College men's ice hockey team wanted to make a statement as it hosted the first day of the Delta Hotels Thanksgiving Showcase. The Pioneers certainly did so tonight. They scored in each of the first and second periods, then held off defending MASCAC Champion and 2019 NCAA Tournament team Plymouth State in the third as they topped the Panthers by a 2-1 score at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Utica is now 4-1-2 this season after recording the win in a spirited non-conference affair. The Pioneers will meet No. 7 Salve Regina in the tournament championship on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Utica is the defending champion of the tournament. It was last held in 2015 when Oswego, St. Thomas, and St. John's met in the confines of the Aud. Plymouth State is now 4-3 and will play No. 9 Oswego at 4 p.m. in the consolation game. The Lakers lost to Salve Regina in the first semifinal by a 6-3 score.

Defensemen played a big role in helping secure the triumph, as blue liners Justin Allen (Rochester, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) and Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) scored the only two Utica goals in the game. Buster Larsson (Bunkeflostrand, Sweden/Syracuse Stars (NCDC)), Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)), Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)), and Nick Yzaguirre (Chicago, IL/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)) had assists. JR Barone had the goal for Plymouth State.

Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) was perfect with 14 saves in just over 40 minutes of work, and Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) made five saves in relief. Andreas Petterson had 41 saves for Plymouth State to keep the Panthers in the thick of the matchup. The loss was Petterson's first of the season, and just the second of his career.

The Pioneers outshot Plymouth State by a 44-20 count. The teams combined to go 0-for-5 on the power play.

The Pioneers came out hungry in the first period, with a shots on goal count of 17-5. The team's early tempo and intensity paid off with the game's first goal at 7:11. After a terrific opportunity for sophomore Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) went astray after an excellent pass by Buster Larsson (Bunkeflostrand, Sweden/Syracuse Stars (NCDC)), Cavanagh retrieved the puck and fed a pinching Justin Allen (Rochester, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) in the slot, and the sophomore defenseman fired the shot past Petterson for a 1-0 lead that stood through the first period.

Utica doubled its lead in the second period as Joey Rutkowski (Rome, NY/Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)) delivered what could be the most dazzling goal of his collegiate career. Brandon Osmundson (Chesapeake, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) delivered a pass to Nick Yzaguirre (Chicago, IL/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)) right up at the offensive blue line. That initial opportunity missed, but Tyler Dill (South Lake Tahoe, CA/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)) forced a turnover out of the left wing corner, and it went to the tape of Rutkowski. Rutkowski saw an opening in the slot, and proceeded to curl up and around the right side of Petterson for a mesmerizing goal that put the Pioneers up 2-0 at 12:38 of the second period, and ultimately, ahead for good. It was the first game-winner of his college career.

The third period was not without its challenges, but the Pioneers stood firm in the end to hold off a Panther rally. Starting netminder Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) left the game early in the third, leaving the net to Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)). The Panthers scored their first and only goal off of Dickson at the five minute mark as JR Barone capped off a series of point blank rebounds by lifting the puck past the sophomore goaltender to pull Plymouth back within one. Dickson was otherwise flawless, as he stood tall with numerous key saves down the stretch to elude a last ditch Panther effort and preserve a one goal win.

The Pioneers will meet No. 7 Salve Regina in the tournament championship game on Saturday at 7 p.m.