UTICA, NY - The #2 Utica University men's ice hockey team begins its latest playoff run on Tuesday as the Pioneers host a United Collegiate Hockey Conference quarterfinal game at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The top-seeded Pioneers will host eighth-seeded Lebanon Valley at 7 p.m.
Follow Along: Live Video and Stats are available for all Utica 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. Additionally, the games will be on local radio at WPNR 90.7 FM and PioneerRadio.org. Sports Information Assistant Ray Biggs '13 is back for an eleventh season of play-by-play with the team and will take you through both games.
Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased through the Aud box office, or online at https://empirestatetix.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=UCP&linkID=utica&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=. If the Pioneers win, tickets for the semifinal round will go on sale immediately following the quarterfinals. Season ticket holders have until 10 a.m. Friday to secure their chosen seats for the semifinal round before those seats are released to the public. Prices will remain the same between rounds of the conference tournament.
Looking Back: With a record of 22-2-1, the Pioneers just recorded the winningest regular season in program history, breaking the school record of 21 regular season wins set by the 2019-20 Pioneers. Utica has recorded 20 or more wins in the last four seasons where it has been mathematically possible to do so. With a record of 17-0-1, Utica captured the UCHC regular season title and became the first men's team to run through UCHC play undefeated in the first five seasons of the league's existence.
The Road Ahead: Utica is the top seed in this year's tournament after winning its ninth regular season conference title, their sixth straight, and their fifth consecutive as a member of the UCHC. That seeding ensures home ice through the end of the tournament. With a win, the Pioneers will draw the lowest remaining seed in the tournament for the semifinals on Saturday. Chatham, Manhattanville, Nazareth, and Neumann are all potential opponents pending the quarterfinal results, which will be completed on Wednesday. This year's tournament is single elimination.
Last Time In The Playoffs: There will be a new UCHC tournament champion in 2022, as defending champion Elmira College exited for the New England Hockey Conference after last season. The Pioneers defeated Manhattanville in a quarterfinal game by a 9-0 score to begin the postseason. That set up an epic semifinal duel with Elmira in the fourth-longest game in Division III history. Elmira scored in the third overtime to break a 1-1 tie and win 2-1 on their way to the title. Brett Everson (Mississauga, Ontario/Hawkesbury (CCHL)) scored in both postseason games for Utica.
Another Year, Another Streak: The Pioneers are unbeaten in their last sixteen games, with a 15-0-1 record over that time period. This is the second-longest unbeaten streak in program history, behind the program-record 20 straight games without a loss in the 2019-20 season.
The Series: This will be the 27th all-time meeting against Lebanon Valley, with Utica holding a commanding 22-3-1 edge all-time. Utica has won the last three, and is undefeated in the last five outings against the Dutchmen. The Pioneers won both meetings this season, including the first meeting at home by a 9-0 score. Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) tied the college's record for career shutouts in the win, while Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) had a four-point night with two goals and two assists.
In January, the Pioneers took to the ice again against the Dutchmen in Hershey, Pa, and took care of the task at hand with a 7-0 win. The Pioneers got a hat trick from junior captain Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) in the win, while senior netminder Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) posted a 14 save shutout for the tenth blanking of his career. Eric Holland (Whitby, ON/Brockville Braves (CCHL)), Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)), Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)), and John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) had a goal apiece. Jayson Dobay (Weymouth, MA/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)) had three assists,
That series dates back to Utica's inaugural season. Utica got the program's first-ever win against Lebanon Valley that year.
Last Time Out: Utica dominated the opposition last weekend with a pair of victories over Manhattanville and Neumann. The Blue and Orange delivered a 6-2 win over Manhattanville on Saturday, before unleashing an overpowering 12-1 win over Neumann on Sunday. Mic Curran (Arlington, MA/Curry College (CCC)) recorded his 100th career point over the weekend.
Lighting It Up: The Pioneers continue to maintain a secure hold on the high ground in every major statistical category nationally as they enter the postseason. Utica is leading the nation in scoring offense at 5.68 goals per game, and is also tops in scoring defense at 1.32 goals allowed per game. The Blue and Orange has killed off 72 of 78 opposing power plays this season for the second-best penalty kill percentage in the nation at 92.3 percent. They have faced the sixth-fewest power plays in the nation this season. The team has also been awarded the sixth-most power play opportunities nationwide, and they have made good on that chance with a 33.3 percent success rate to rank second nationally. The team's 42 power play goals lead the nation.
It's Gotta Be The Shoes: Junior captain Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) has been a force all season long for the Pioneers. He is seventeenth nationally at 1.44 points per game, and has logged a career-high 36 points on fourteen goals and 22 assists this season. Seven of his fourteen career power play goals have also been scored this season, with his season output in that category leading the UCHC and ranking seventh nationally. His career power play goal output is tied for third in school history alongside former captain Evan Chlanda. The next point he records will be the 75th of his career.
Side By Side: With five assists this past weekend, senior defenseman Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) is on the doorstep of a milestone moment. The blue line staple now has 82 career points, tying him for the program's all-time lead among defensemen with All-Americans Dalton Carter and Daniel Fritz. This season he has 35 points on eight goals and 27 assists, and needs just four more to tie that pairing for the single-season defenseman points record as well. His team-leading assist total is just three away from the school record for assists in a single season held by Jimmy Sokol. The record total of 30 has stood since the 2003-04 season, despite close challenges by Brandon Osmundson (Virginia Beach, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)), Dalton Carter, Daniel Fritz, Gregg Burmaster, and Conor Landrigan (New Tripoli, PA/Binghamton Jr. Sens (NAHL)), who have all recorded 25 or more assists recently in one season. His 68 career assists are tied for third-most in school history alongside Landrigan. He is fourth in the nation among all skaters at an average of 1.08 assists per game.
In The Top Ten: The Pioneers have two skaters in the top ten nationally in points per game entering this weekend. Junior forward Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) (14-26-40) has emerged as one of Division III's premier players with his average of 1.60 points per game ranking seventh nationally. He is just the eighth player in program history to have a 40 point season, and is six points off the single season points record shared by Gregg Burmaster and Jimmy Sokol. He also has six power play goals this season. Larsson was named the UCHC Player of the Week on Monday. Senior forward Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) (16-23-39) is ninth nationally with an average of 1.56 points per game, and his 83 career points recently cracked the top ten among all skaters in school history.
Big Bad John: John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) leads the Pioneers this season with a career-high 17 goals. The junior forward is thirteenth in the nation, and tops in the UCHC with his average of 0.68 goals per game.
Between Two Posts: Senior netminder Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) returned to the lineup on Saturday and made 22 saves in the 6-2 win over Manhattanville. Dickson is 13-1 this season as the goaltender of record for the Pioneers, and now has 26 career victories. His 93.2 save percentage is twelfth in the nation, while he leads the country with a sharp 1.24 goals against average. His four shutouts this season are second nationally. He has ten shutouts in his career.
About Lebanon Valley: The Dutchmen enter the postseason with a 6-16-1 overall record, and a 5-12-1 league record. They placed eighth in the UCHC with eighteen standings points. Blake Tosto leads the way for the offense with 23 points on 12 goals and 11 assists, while Alex Borowiec has a team-best fourteen assists. LVC has split starts between three different netminders this season, including conference Rookie of the Week Ty Franchi, who made 63 saves as Lebanon Valley split with Arcadia to close out the regular season last weekend. Lebanon Valley is coached by former North American minor league hockey goal scoring record holder Don Parsons, who scored 682 goals during his professional career.
Up Next: With a win, the Pioneers play again on Saturday in the semifinal round against an opponent to be determined.
