UTICA, NY - The #2 Utica Pioneers men's ice hockey team moved past its first conference tournament test, and crowned a new blue line scoring king in the process on Tuesday. The top-seeded Pioneers left no doubt, scoring eleven goals in the first two periods en route to an 11-1 win over eighth-seeded Lebanon Valley in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference quarterfinal at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
Senior defenseman Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (USPHL-NCDC)) achieved a long-awaited career milestone, as he passed All-Americans Dan Fritz and Dalton Carter for the most points in a career by a defenseman at Utica. He finished the night with two assists, and now has 84 career points.
The Pioneers improve to 23-2-1 this season, and are unbeaten in their last seventeen games. They advance to the conference semifinal round against an opponent to be determined. Tickets are on sale now from the Auditorium box office. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.
Utica held a 56-17 shots on goal advantage, and went 5-for-7 on the power play for the night.
Fourteen different Pioneers recorded a point in the lopsided contest. Top performers included sophomore defenseman Jayson Dobay (Weymouth, MA/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)), who piled up five points on a goal and four assists. Junior forward Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) logged two goals and three assists. Rookie forward Cameron Patton (Truro, Nova Scotia/Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL)) scored twice and added an assist. Junior forward Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) tacked on three assists, while Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) registered a goal and two assists.
Goaltenders Sean Dickson (San Francisco, CA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL-Premier)) and Louis-Felix St. Jean (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) combined to make 16 saves in the victory. Dickson improves to 14-1 as the goaltender of record this season.
The Pioneers romped out to a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes of play, with Cameron Patton (Truro, Nova Scotia/Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL)) scoring twice including the eventual game-winning goal. Jayson Dobay (Weymouth, MA/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)) got the Pioneers off to a fast start, scoring at 1:41 to put the home team in the drivers' seat. Jamie Bucell (Garfield Heights, OH/Philadelphia (EHL)) also recorded a first period goal. Three of the team's four goals were power play goals, and Lebanon Valley answered with one of their own for a 4-1 score after 20 minutes.
Any doubt about the outcome was quickly erased in the second, as the home team pounded out another seven goals in the middle frame, then cruised home in a scoreless third for a decisive victory.
The Pioneers have scored 23 goals in their last two games heading into the conference semifinal round.
