UTICA, NY - In a battle of top ten teams, neither one gave an inch in Friday's season opener for the Utica University men's ice hockey team. Literally. The #6 Pioneers skated to a 0-0 draw with #2 Adrian in a non-conference battle at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Both squads are 0-0-1 following the matchup. The second game of the series will be played at 2 pm Saturday. 

Utica held a 41-40 advantage in shots on goal. The penalty kill units shined as both teams combined to go 0-for-11 on the power play in a game with an astonishing 36 penalty minutes on 18 minor penalties. Adrian had a 34-32 edge on faceoffs.

Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) and Bryan Landsberger (Montreal, Quebec/Nepean Raiders (CCHL)) combined for 40 saves in a stalemate shutout, and Adrian's Dershahn Stewart impressed as well with 41 saves as he went the distance for the Bulldogs.

Rookie defenseman Griffen Barr (Nanaimo, BC/Vernon Vipers (BCHL)) had a team-best six shots on net for the Pioneers, while Andrew Della Rovere (Caledon East, ON/Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)) finished 8-of-13 at the faceoff dot in his regular season debut.

Adrian's Riley Murphy had a team-best seven shots on goal, while Bradley Somers went 10 of 16 on faceoffs.

After the game, a three-round shootout was held per NCAA procedures, even though the game is counted as a tie. Procedures stipulate that the home team's conference policy is followed for non-conference games regarding a shootout being held. Adrian won that shootout by a 1-0 count.