UTICA, NY - After settling for a scoreless draw on Friday, the #6 Utica University men's ice hockey team took ownership of overtime on Saturday. The man of the moment was freshman defenseman Griffen Barr (Nanaimo, BC/Vernon Vipers (BCHL)), whose one-time bullet from the left wing beat Adrian netminder Dershahn Stewart and caught the back of the twine 48 seconds into overtime to lift the Pioneers to a 3-2 win over the #2 Bulldogs at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. 

The Pioneers improve to 1-0-1 and will mathematically go over 365 days without a regular season loss in the upcoming week. They are unbeaten in their last 25 regular season games dating back to a pair of opening weekend losses at Adrian last year, and have not lost a regular season home game since a setback to then-#1 Geneseo in the 2021 Utica Thanksgiving Showcase tournament. The Bulldogs drop to 0-1-1.

The Pioneers carried a 35-29 advantage in shots on goal. They finished the matchup 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Bulldogs went 2-for-4 to score both of their goals in the loss. 

Nine different Pioneers recorded a single point each as part of a balanced offensive performance. All three goals came from newcomers, as rookie blue liners Domenick Evtimov (Northbrook, IL/Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL)) and Barr scored their first intercollegiate goals, and Michael Herrera (Syracuse, NY/Utica Comets (NCDC)) scored the second of his college career. Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)), Shane Murphy (Oriskany, NY/Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)), Alexander Gullichsen (Turku, Finland/Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)), Chris Carroll (Islip New York), Andrew Della Rovere (Caledon East, ON/Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)), and Khristian Acosta (Port Monmouth, NJ/Mercyhurst University (NCAA DI)) added assists. 
 
In net, Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) notched his first win at Utica with 27 saves, while Dershahn Stewart turned away 32 for the Bulldogs. 
 
After an 0/6 clip on the power play in Friday's game, the Bulldogs set their man advantage unit on the rails to grab the early lead. A cross checking penalty on Michael Herrera (Syracuse, NY/Utica Comets (NCDC)) set the table for the Bulldogs' Riley Murphy to score his first goal of the season, with Matthew Rehding and Jaden Shields picking up the assists at 3:46. Both teams registered nine shots apiece for the period as Adrian finished off the frame up 1-0. 
 
The Pioneers overturned that deficit to open the second period, starting with a power play goal of their own at 2:28. Domenick Evtimov (Northbrook, IL/Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL)) scored his first intercollegiate goal by snapping a right wing shot through a net front screen and past Stewart to level the score at a goal apiece. Shane Murphy (Oriskany, NY/Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)) and Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) had the power play helpers. 

Herrera put the Pioneers in the drivers' seat with his first goal in a Pioneer uniform at 11:50 of the middle frame. Rookie Alexander Gullichsen (Turku, Finland/Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)) had his first point with an assist on the play, and sophomore Chris Carroll (Islip New York) snagged his fifth collegiate assist as the home team snagged a 2-1 lead.

That lead had a short lifespan, as a five minute major penalty to Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)) put the Pioneers in a tough spot in the latter stages in the period. The Pioneers held strong for much of the penalty kill, but Connor May potted a one-time chance from the left wing just over four minutes into the five minute advantage to tie the game at two apiece. Ryan Pitoscia and Theo Trun had assists on Adrian's second power play marker at 16:23. The teams wrapped up the frame knotted at a pair apiece. 
 

Neither team scored in the third, setting the table for the Pioneers to polish off the win in overtime. That's where Barr made his magic happen with his first intercollegiate goal sending a hungry crowd home happy. Acosta and Della Rovere picked up the assists on the play, with Della Rovere's being the first of his career. 

The Pioneers will be back in action on Friday and Saturday as they open up UCHC play against Stevenson University. Friday's start is slated for 7 p.m., while Saturday's game will start at 2 p.m. at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.