UTICA, NY - The Utica College men's ice hockey team opens the 2022 portion of its schedule with a pair of nationally significant non-conference games. The Pioneers will host #14 Curry College on Saturday, January 8th at 2 p.m., and will match up against SUNY Cortland on Sunday, January 9th at 3 p.m. at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Follow Along: Live Video and Stats are available for all UC home games are available at portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/, and video is also available on the FREE Empire 8 app available for a multitude of streaming devices. Sports Information Assistant Ray Biggs '13 is back for an eleventh season of play-by-play with the Pioneers. Both games will also air on WPNR 90.7 FM and on PioneerRadio.org.
The Series Marks: This will be the eighth meeting between Utica and Curry, with the Pioneers enjoying a 4-3 edge all-time. UC has won the last four meetings, most recently a 4-1 neutral site win at the Oswego tournament in January 2017. This will be the tenth meeting against Cortland, with Utica producing a 6-2-1 record all-time. Utica has won the last two meetings by scores of 3-0 and 3-2, and also played Cortland in a pre-season exhibition in October.
How It's Settled So Far: Utica is ranked third in the latest USCHO poll. The Pioneers are 9-2 overall, while sporting a perfect 7-0 record in UCHC Play. Both of the team's losses have been in non-conference play, and have come against the two teams ranked ahead of them in the latest USCHO poll. They are in first place in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference.
At Home: UC is 6-2 at home, and is playing the final two games of a six-game home stand this weekend. The Pioneers have outscored opponents 41-12 when playing at the Aud this year.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers swept a home twinbill against UCHC competition in their last two games before the break on Friday, December 3rd and Saturday, December 4th. In the first game of the weekend, Utica broke a 2-2 third period tie on a goal by Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) to unseat previously-unbeaten Wilkes University by a score of 3-2. Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) and Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Syracuse Stars (NCDC)) notched the other Pioneer goals in the matchup. The following day, the Pioneers rolled past visiting King's College by an 8-0 score in the annual Teddy Bear Toss game. Eric Holland (Whitby, ON/Brockville Braves (CCHL)) started the scoring, and Utica's favorite toy drive, at 5:05 of the first period. He would go on to record a second goal. Brandon Osmundson (Virginia Beach, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)), Mic Curran (Arlington, MA/Curry College (CCC)), Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Syracuse Stars (NCDC)), John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)), Blake Holmes (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)), and Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) also scored goals for UC in the rout. Brian Landsberger and Louis-Felix St. Jean (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) combined for the shutout in goal.
We Meet Again: Utica defeated Cortland in a pre-season exhibition game on October 23rd by a 5-1 score. Five different Pioneers scored, including a one goal, one assist effort by Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)). Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) scored a goal on a team-best five shots. Utica out-shot the Red Dragons 30-22 and were 1-for-8 on the power play. The Red Dragons were 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Louis-Felix St. Jean (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) and Bryan Landsberger (Montreal, Quebec/Nepean Raiders (CCHL)) combined to get the win in goal with 21 saves.
Triple Treat: Utica sports the nation's second-highest scoring offense at 5.45 goals per game. Chairing that attack is a trio of forwards with eighteen points apiece. Junior John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) is the team's leading goal scorer with ten, and has also contributed eight assists. He has a goal in all but three games this year, and his average of 0.91 goals per game is tied for fourth nationally. The Chesapeake Bay Connection of junior Brandon Osmundson (Virginia Beach, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) and senior Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) have eight goals and ten assists each. The trio are tied for ninth nationally with 1.61 points per game.
Crossing the Battle Lines: Forward Mic Curran (Arlington, MA/Curry College (CCC)) has been a tremendous addition to the lineup in the first half of this season. The senior has posted a team-leading thirteen assists, and is tied for sixth nationally in assists per game. He has four multi-assist games to his credit, with three of the four coming at home. Before Utica, Curran had a tremendous three-year career at Curry where he had 77 points in 57 appearances. With his fifteen points this year, he now sits at 92 for his career.
Mr. Consistency: With an appearance on Saturday, senior defenseman Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) will play in his 80th consecutive contest. He is one of twelve Pioneers to play every game this season. He is enjoying his best season to date as a goal scorer, with five of his eleven tallies happening this season.
In Goal: Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) remains Utica's leading man between the pipes, as he has compiled a record of 6-1 with a save percentage of 93.2 percent, and a goals allowed average of just 1.15, which ranks third nationally. He also has two shutouts, and holds the school record for career shutouts with eight. His next win will be the twentieth of his career. Brian Landsberger has turned away over 95 percent of shots in two appearances, while Louis-Felix St. Jean (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) maintains a GAA of 2.38 over four appearances. With this trio in net, Utica ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense at 1.55 goals allowed per game.
Winning Big: Utica leads the country in scoring margin at an average differential of 3.91 goals per game.
Just Forget It: Utica's penalty kill unit has been almost unassailable this season. The Pioneers have allowed just two power play goals, and both were scored in a loss to Adrian on halloween. Since the final power play chance of that game, the Pioneers have held opposing power play units scoreless over nine straight games and 23 consecutive chances. Utica is third in the nation on the penalty kill at 93.8 percent.
Holly Hot Stick: Senior forward Eric Holland (Whitby, ON/Brockville Braves (CCHL)) has been a clutch performer, as well as a consistent one this season. He leads the team with three game-winning goals, which ties him for third in the nation. He has fourteen points to rank sixth on the team, and his eight goals are tied for second on the squad. He has a point in three of his last four games, including the last two. He needs just three points to equal his best single season performance.
Sizing Up The Opposition: Curry is 8-2-1 this season under first year head coach Peter Roundy. They were 8-0-1 in their first nine games, but dropped conference road games at Endicott and Salve Regina, both by 5-2 scores, to close out the semester. They are averaging 3.73 goals per game. They have a 6-0 home record, but are 2-2-1 when playing away from their home in Milton, Massachusetts. They sport an exceptional penalty kill at 90.9 percent. Timmy Kent leads the offense with sixteen points on ten goals and six assists. Reid Cooper has been the primary man in goal with a 1.81 GAA in six starts. Cortland is 8-4-1 heading into this weekend's games. They are coached by Utica, NY native Joe Cardarelli. Michael Sciore and Nick Grupp lead the team with 11 total points each, and local product Sutter Donegan enters the weekend with a team-best seven goals. Veteran netminder Luca Durante is 7-2-1 this season.
What's Next: Utica starts a four-game road trip on Friday, January 14th as it visits Neumann University for a UCHC game. The Pioneers will play a conference game at Manhattanville the following day.
