UTICA, NY - The top-seeded Utica College men's hockey team commences its 2019 playoff run this weekend as they host fifth-seeded Nazareth College in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference playoff series this weekend at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Game times are set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Aud.

Get Your Tickets: Tickets to see the Pioneers are available through multiple methods. Fans can purchase tickets online at EmpireStateTix.com in advance of any UC home game. In addition, fans can purchase tickets at the Aud box office during regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box office is also open longer on game days for all of your walk up ticketing needs. Season ticket holders had their seats for the regular season reserved for the semifinal round until Wednesday evening, when the unsold seats get released to the general public for purchase.

Follow Along: Live video and stats for all UC Home Games are available at portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/. In addition, radio coverage of home games is available on WPNR 90.7 FM and PioneerRadio.org. Sports Information Assistant Ray Biggs '13 brings fans the play-by-play. Fans can also view home games on the free Empire 8 apps available for Roku, Amazon Fire, and AppleTV.

Where We're At: Utica wrapped up the regular season at 17-6-2, and 14-3-1 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference to finish first. The Pioneers are unbeaten in their last nine games, and are now 13-1-2 in their last sixteen games following a 4-5 start to the season.

No Sweeping, We're Busy Mopping: The Pioneers were not swept by any conference opponent in a season series this year marking the first time that's happened for the Pioneers since the 2013-14 campaign. That fact could make a Utica team that will be a tough out into a considerably tougher out under the new two-game series format.

Home Ice Matters: Utica is 10-2-1 and outscoring opponents 62-16 in home games this season. In conference, they were 8-0-1 and routed opponents by a combined 51-9. Just one conference opponent this year was in a one-goal game in the third period against Utica. Utica has not lost a UCHC home game since the first one they played under the UCHC name on November 11th, 2017, a loss to Elmira. The Pioneers are 17-0-1 in the eighteen games they've played since against conference opposition.

Eyes on the Prize: Utica starts a conference postseason for the first time in its eighteen year history with the opportunity to claim an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament if they were to become conference tournament champions. The UCHC won an appeal with the NCAA this past offseason to allow the UCHC's first season of existence to count as part of the former ECAC West's existing two-year waiting period to receive automatic qualification status with the same core teams playing in both leagues, and that number of teams exceeds the seven required over that two-year period in order to receive a bid. With that appeal granted, the conference became eligible for an automatic bid to the tournament this season.
 

Regular Season Champs: With their wins this weekend, the Pioneers won a third consecutive conference regular season championship. The title is their sixth regular season title in the 18 year history of the program, and their fifth in the last seven years.

This Will Be A First: This weekend will mark the first two playoff games between Utica and Nazareth since the birth of Nazareth's program in 2012. Nazareth has only played Neumann, Manhattanville and Hobart in playoff games during their seven seasons of existence.

Against Nazareth: Saturday and Sunday will be the 21st and 22nd all-time meetings between Utica and Nazareth. The Pioneers currently lead that series with wins in exactly half of the twenty meetings at 10-5-5. The teams split the season series with Utica losing 4-3 on the road in November, and the Pioneers walloped the Golden Flyers with a 5-0 win in January at home.

Last Time Against Naz: Utica scored two goals in each of the first two periods, and Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) notched a 24 save shutout as Utica blanked Nazareth on January 25th. Defensemen played a big part in that game offensively as Brandon Young (Muskegon, MI/Johnstown (NAHL)), Justin Allen (Rochester, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)), and Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) each tacked on a goal.

The Bracket So Far: Tuesday's opening round games saw both victors win by scores of 5-2. Third-seeded Manhattanville overcame an early 1-0 deficit with five of the next six goals to eliminate sixth-seeded Manhattanville, 5-2. Fifth-seeded Nazareth scored the road win over fourth-seeded Wilkes as they dashed out to a 3-0 lead, then thwarted a comeback attempt that started late in the second period. The Colonels cut the deficit to 3-2 after two periods and the Golden Flyers scored a pair of goals late to put the game away in a 5-2 Nazareth win.

Do Not Adjust Your Set: This season marks the debut of the new United Collegiate Hockey Conference men's playoff series format. The semifinal and championship rounds of the tournament are now played in a two-game series format. Unlike past years of conference tournament play, the new series format features two regular games with sixty minutes of regulation time and a single five-on-five overtime period. Ties can happen in either or both of the two games. If a team gets two wins, or a win and a tie, they win the series and advance. If the series is tied via split wins or a pair of ties, the series moves on to a mini game in an attempt to determine an advancing team.

To help fans gain a better understanding of what they may possibly see for the first time in the next two weeks, here's a summary of how the mini-game works.

 

1. The second game of the series ends in some fashion where the series is even, either via both teams getting one win each, or the teams tie twice.

2. The mini-game is its own stipulated contest and not part of the game that preceded it. When the second game of the series ends, it ends. Teams clear the ice for a fifteen minute intermission, and the ice is resurfaced. Both teams may make lineup changes if they wish to at that time, and it is permissible to dress scratches from the earlier game for the mini-game if a team desires to.

3. The score will start 0-0, and teams will play a twenty minute, five-on-five period. This initial mini-game period is not a sudden death scenario and the entire period is played. The team with the most goals at the end of the period is the team that will advance.

4. If the score is tied after twenty minutes of mini-game play, another intermission results. Teams will come back out and play twenty minute, sudden death overtime periods, with intermissions in between as necessary, until a team scores to advance.

5. With the exception of major penalties that may require additional discipline as appropriate, minigame statistics do not count towards season totals or win-loss records.

 

While the format is new to the UCHC, it is not new to Division III hockey as a whole. It has been employed in the WIAC and NCHA playoffs for several years, was a staple of the SUNYAC playoffs over a decade ago, and was previously also used in the NCAA quarterfinals.

We're Baaaaaaack: After returning to the D3hockey.com poll last week, Utica is now ranked in both national polls this week for the first time since November. The Pioneers are ranked twelfth in the D3hockey.com Poll, and fourteenth in the US College Hockey Online poll this week.

Pairwise Pontification: Utica is ranked fourteenth overall in the latest official NCAA Pairwise Rankings released on Tuesday. The Pairwise is the ranking the NCAA committees will utilize to select and seed this season's tournament field as part of an NCAA pilot program. The process almost directly mirrors that of Division I. The top four teams in that ranking not receiving an automatic bid to the tournament as a conference champion will be granted the NCAA at-large bids this year. Utica's best avenue to make the tournament field will be to win the UCHC tournament title.

Furious Friday: The Pioneers darted out to a 3-0 lead after one period of play, and went on to score the first seven goals overall as they routed the visiting King's Monarchs 10-1 in a UCHC matchup. The ten goals are a season-high for Utica. The Pioneers got dual hat trick performances in the game as Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) scored four goals and added two assists, and linemate Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) added his first career hat trick. The third piece of that line, Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)), had the second five assist game of his career. Joey Savel (Sterling Heights, MI/Philadelphia Little Flyers (EHL)), Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)), and Brandon Young (Muskegon, MI/Johnstown (NAHL)) all tacked on goals in the rout as well. Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) had 17 saves on 18 shots and was relieved in the third period by Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)), who blanked the Monarchs in the last frame. Utica is now 4-0 all-time against the Monarchs.

Second Stanza Surge Saturday: Utica broke a 1-1 tie with three goals in just over a minute's time as they polished off a season sweep of Wilkes University on Saturday by a score of 4-2. Jarrod Fitzpatrick's (Wakefield, MA/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) goal, scored off a faceoff late in the first, gave the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage, and the Colonels struck on the power play at 8:14 of the second to even things up. Due in part to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Wilkes after the tying goal, the 1-1 tie lasted all of about 53 seconds before Utica powered ahead. Josh Haskin (Troy, NY/P.A.L. Jr. Islanders (USPHL)) banged in a rebound assisted by Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) and Joey Savel (Sterling Heights, MI/Philadelphia Little Flyers (EHL)) at 9:07. Within a minute, Utica got a second power play, and it was Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) who stepped through the turnstiles next for admission into the special teams bonanza as his left wing wrister hit the back of the net at 9:52. Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) capped off the three-goal run at 10:24 of the second period off a brilliant extra pass by Tyler Pietrowski (Curtice, OH/Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL)). The Colonels scored before the end of the second, but Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) was impossible for Wilkes to solve in the third period as his fifteen third period saves helped Utica fend off the upset-minded Colonels by the 4-2 margin. Utica outshot Wilkes 38-30 and was 2-of-5 with the man advantage.

Utica Is Still The Better Branch: Utica is now 6-0 all-time against teams from the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area after this past weekend's games, including four wins over King's, and two over Wilkes.

Gregg's On The Move: Gregg Burmaster (Clinton, NY/Colorado College (NCHC)) leads the team with 37 points on 17 goals and 20 assists, which are both team-highs.  He was named the UCHC Player of the Week for a second week in a row on Tuesday. Burmaster delivered an incredible weekend to help give Utica the UCHC men's regular season title. His a seven point weekend drove Utica to wins over King's and Wilkes. On Friday, Burmaster notched a hat trick in a second consecutive game and finished with four goals. He added two assists and helped linemate Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) to a hat trick with those assists. He finished with six total points on the night. On Saturday, Burmaster assisted on Conor Landrigan's (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) game-winning power play goal. Burmaster has fourteen points in his last four games, and carries a point streak of four games into the UCHC tournament. He is fifteenth in the nation at 1.48 points per game, and thirteenth in the country in goals per game at 0.68 goals per game. He is the second-ranked goal scorer in the UCHC among teams still alive in this year's playoffs with 17. Utica has just one loss when their captain scores a goal this season.

Exciting Everson: Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) is tied for second on the Pioneer roster with 25 points this season in 23 games played. He has five goals and 20 assists. His point numbers are good for 54th nationally at 1.09 points per game in total scoring, and he is 23rd nationally in assists per game.  

Well That Escalated Quickly: In his first three seasons at Utica, forward Shawn Lynch (Syracuse, NY/Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL)) totaled sixteen career points on eight goals and eight assists. This season, he has far surpassed that total with ten goals and fifteen assists for 25 total points, tied for second on the team with Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)). Impressively, he has matched his career point total from his first three years in the last eleven games he's played with sixteen points, including thirteen points in his last five games.

Dueling Banjos: The last time Utica netted a pair of hat tricks in one night, it was in February of 2008 when Matt Fitzgibbons and Vinny Rinaldi each scored three goals in an 11-2 decimation of Lebanon Valley. Lebanon Valley is in Hershey, Pa, and fittingly, Rinaldi now is employed in a high-level management position by the Hershey Corporation.

I Am Iron Man: If he plays in both games this weekend, defenseman Zach Borsoi (Brossard, Quebec/Gloucester (CCHL)) will tie the Utica College men's hockey record for career games played. He has 106 games played, and needs to hit 108 to tie Kevin Kirisits (Buffalo, NY/Brockville (CCHL)) and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)). Borsoi has won three straight regular season titles in his time at Utica and has played in three consecutive conference title games with an opportunity at a fourth this year. He has 60 points on 18 goals and 42 assists in his career, and nine goals and fourteen assists this season. He has a team-leading five power play strikes this season.

It's In The Bagg: Goaltender Gianluca Baggetta (Maple, Ontario/North York (OJHL)) has been in top form throughout the 2018-19 season, and has gone on to set a new standard with the best statistical campaign ever recorded by a Utica starting goaltender in the 18 year history of the program. Baggetta this season is 13-3-2 with a 1.65 goals against average and a 94.4 percent save percentage and three shutouts, and his GAA, Save Percentage, and Shutout totals all tie or exceed existing standards for a Utica goaltender in a season at present. He leads the UCHC in every major goaltending category, and was particularly dominant in conference play. Baggetta was 10-1-1 in UCHC games this season, and his save percentage of .953 percent in conference games is the best mark by a goalie at a current UCHC member school since Elmira's Darren McDonald turned in a .954 in ECAC West games in the 2010-11 season on his way to becoming an All-American. He has allowed two goals or less in fourteen of his eighteen starts, and has not allowed more than three goals in a single outing the entire season. Nationally, he is third in overall save percentage, fourth in goals against average, ninth in win percentage, and eleventh in shutouts. He has not lost a goaltending decision in his last thirteen starts and has held opponents to two goals or less in his last nine appearances.

Short Handed Success: Utica is tied for ninth in the nation with six short-handed goals this season.

Spectacular Special Teams: Utica's penalty kill has shined all season long at 88.1 percent, and has allowed just thirteen goals in 109 chances. They rank 11th in the nation at 88.1 percent, but did allow opponents to go 2-of-6 last weekend. Opponents have converted just two of their last 33 opportunities. On the power play, Utica has been on the rise recently up to 41st nationally at 18.5 percent. Utica was 2-for-7 this weekend, with both goals coming in Saturday's second period barrage.

What's The Score: Utica is now sixth in the nation in scoring offense at 4.24 goals per game, and have scored four goals or more in their last five including a season-best 10 goals against King's College. They are also seventh nationally in scoring defense as they've limited opponents to just 1.84 goals per game.

About Nazareth: The Golden Flyers are 12-7-7, and 8-5-5 in the UCHC under head coach George Roll headed into this weekend's semifinals. David Powlowski leads the team with 24 points on ten goals and fourteen assists, and J.R. Wojciechowski has 20 points for the Golden Flyers this season. Sean Kuhn has seized the starting goalie job and is 5-4-5 with a goals allowed average of 2.20. Nazareth averages 3.04 goals per game, and allows 2.42 per matchup. Powlowski had two goals in the earlier meeting this year between the two teams. Ray Falso and Alex Corvi each had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's opening round win over Wilkes, and the Golden Flyers were 2-of-8 on the power play to start the postseason. Nazareth has never advanced past the semifinal round in their existence. 

Up Next: If the Pioneers advance, they would go on to host the UCHC Championship Series next weekend on Saturday, March 2nd, and Sunday, March 3rd.