UTICA, NY - The #3 Utica College men's ice hockey team was challenged early, but a quick answer and a long run of goals helped the Pioneers get the job done on Sunday. Down 1-0 in the first period, the Pioneers got a power play goal from Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) 35 seconds later to spark a string of five unanswered goals as Utica topped visiting SUNY Canton by a 5-1 score at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
The win is Utica's 12th straight, and improves their record to 19-2 overall. Canton is now 6-11-2.
Shots favored Utica by a 31-15 count, and the Pioneers scored two power play goals.
Captain Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) led the way with a goal and two assists. Brandon Osmundson (Virginia Beach, VA/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) had two assists, while Jayson Dobay (Weymouth, MA/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)) logged a goal and two assists. Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)), Mic Curran (Arlington, MA/Curry College (CCC)), and Buster Larsson (Malmo, Sweden/Utica Jr. Comets (NCDC)) also scored for UC.
Louis-Felix St. Jean (Montreal, Quebec/Salve Regina (CCC)) stopped fourteen shots to earn the win.
Sam Martin scored the lone goal for SUNY Canton in the first period of play.
Martin's goal got the visitors an early lead at 7:25 of the first period, as he was able to beat St. Jean from the left wing for a shorthanded goal and a 1-0 advantage. 35 seconds later, the Pioneers pulled even with the power play still in effect.. Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) found a wide open pocket in the slot and whistled a shot behind Canton netminder Pierce Diamond to even the score through the end of the first period.
The stalemate lasted until 15:36 of the second period, when Dobay scored a power play goal on a long shot through traffic. Zapata and Osmundson grabbed the assists on the game-winning goal. Insurance was added at 18:24 when Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) wired a cross-ice pass to Larsson on the left wing. Larsson got a clean release over the shoulder of Diamond, and the Pioneers led 3-1 after two periods.
Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) netted his third of the season in the third period, while Mic Curran (Arlington, MA/Curry College (CCC)) added an empty net shorthanded goal to put the finishing touches on a 5-1 win.
Utica wraps up non-conference play with a record of 5-2 this season.
The Pioneers are on the road next weekend for a conference pair against King's College and Wilkes University.
