WILKES BARRE, PA- The Utica College men's ice hockey team saw its school-record winning streak brought to a halt on Friday. Host Wilkes University scored the lone goal of the first period, broke a 1-1 tie in the third with a pair of goals, and then staved off a late comeback effort as the Pioneers dropped a 3-2 United Collegiate Hockey Conference matchup to the Colonels at the Toyota Sportsplex in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. The game was the regular season and conference opener for both sides.

Utica falls to 0-1 overall, and in UCHC play. UC outshot the Colonels 28-24. Wilkes was 1-for-7 on the power play, while the Pioneers were 0-for-3. 

The loss halts Utica's 20 game winning streak, which was the longest active streak in NCAA men's hockey, and the seventh-longest win streak in Division III hockey history. The game was also the first game of a rematch twinbill of last year's UCHC Finals series between the two sides. Game two of the weekend set will take place in Utica on Saturday evening, with 7 p.m. puck drop inside the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

The lid was lifted on the scoring in the first period when Wilkes' Phil Ericson scored off an assist by All-American forward Donald Flynn. That 1-0 lead held until 16:08 of the second period, when the Pioneers evened the score on a tally by John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)). Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)) and Blake Holmes (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)) picked up the assists. The goal marked the first official college point for Holmes, and the 17th game of an active point streak for Landrigan, who was a 2020 AHCA All-American.

Wilkes made its charge early in the third period. Former Pioneer Tyler Dill (South Lake Tahoe, CA/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)) scored in his first game with his new team, and Tyler Barrow struck almost six minutes later for a 3-1 Colonel lead. The Pioneers would pull back to within a goal on the first tally of the campaign for Nick Yzaguirre (Chicago, IL/Charlotte Rush (USPHL-Premier)), with Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) picking up the assist, but the third period output was not enough as Wilkes prevailed by a 3-2 score.

Michael Paterson-Jones made 26 saves to earn the win for Wilkes, and Sean Dickson (Millbrae, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) turned away 21 for Utica in the loss. Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) and Brendan Schultz (Schaumburg, IL/Topeka (NAHL)) each posted a team-high four shots on goal.