UTICA, NY - The No. 3 Utica University men's hockey team outlasted the St. John's University Johnnies in a shootout, 3-2, on Friday evening following a 1-1 draw to advance to the Delta by Marriott Utica Thanksgiving Showcase Championship at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. 
 
Utica outshot St. John's 53-21, with the most coming in the first period where 24 were recorded. Both the second and third period saw 22 shots. Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) led Utica with six shots followed by Chris Carroll (Islip, NY/New Jersey Titans (NAHL)) and Matt Wood (Garnet Valley, PA/Richmond Generals (USPHL)) with five each. Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) had 20 saves for Utica compared to Bailey Huber's 52. 
 
The lone Pioneers goal came off the stick of Alexander Gullichsen (Turku, Finland/Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)), who notched his second of the season at 8:29 of the third period. Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)) and Jakob Breault (Acton Vale, QC/Alaska-Fairbanks (NCAA DI)) assisted on the score. In the shootout, Aydin Parekh (Nobleton, ON/Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)) (1st), Gullichsen (3rd) and Breault (4th) found the back of the net to help advance the team into the championship. 
 
Both St. John's and Utica had quality scoring chances within the first five minutes of regulation. First, St. John's had a breakaway opportunity by Connor Couset but was denied by Utica goaltender Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)), who quickly brushed the puck aside. Shortly after, Utica's Chris Carroll (Islip, NY/New Jersey Titans (NAHL)) and Shane Murphy (Oriskany, NY/Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)) had back-to-back chances, but Johnnies' goaltender Huber was there to save both shots. 
 
At 12:39, St. John's Jackson Sabo committed a roughing penalty, sending Utica's power play on the ice, but the Johnnies put pressure on Utica, allowing only four shots. Both sides would get more quality scoring chances midway through the first, but both goaltenders were there to deny them from finding the back of the net. At 2:38, St. John's struck first on its power play. As the Johnnies entered their offensive zone, Chris Kernan dished the puck to Lewis Crosby, who found senior Max Borst, giving St. John's a 1-0 entering the second period. 
 
At the end of the first period, Sabo was called for interference, giving Utica a two-man advantage to open the second. Kernan was also serving his leftover two seconds for St. John's, which carried into the second. The Johnnies limited Utica's scoring opportunities on the power play as the Pioneers let off four shots in a row, but once again, Huber was there to defend his net. 
 
Utica and St. John's combined for 12 shots in the first 10 minutes of action, but no goals were netted. Jakob Breault (Acton Vale, QC/Alaska-Fairbanks (NCAA DI)) received a tripping at 3:32 and Austin D'Orazio (Vaughan, ON/Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)) was called for a high stick at 2:02, giving the Johnnies their second two-man advantage of the evening. Utica denied all scoring chances as the game moved into the third, with St. Johns leading 1-0. 
 
Both teams went on their respective power plays early in the third period. First, it was Shane Murphy (Oriskany, NY/Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)) for Utica with boarding, then Jack Wandmacher for St. John's for hooking. At 11:31, Alexander Gullichsen (Turku, Finland/Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)) netted his second goal in as many games, capitalizing on a Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) missed shot, with assists credited to Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)) and Breault. St. John's would once again go on their power play for the sixth time in the game and the second time in the third period. With under a minute and a half to play, defenseman Kimball Johnson (Dallas, TX/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) was penalized for hooking. No goals were scored the remainder of the third period, sending the teams into overtime tied at one.
 
Utica and St. John's recorded one shot each in the first two minutes of action, but both were turned away by the goaltenders. Andrew Della Rovere (Caledon East, ON/Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)) had a prime scoring chance under 20 seconds left getting to the middle of the ice, but Huber was there to record his 52nd save of the night. The teams would finish overtime tied 1-1 and head into a shootout to decide who will play Elmira tomorrow evening. 
 
Utica would go on to win in shootouts, 3-2 to decide the matchup. Aydin Parekh (Nobleton, ON/Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)), Gullichsen and Breault each netted a goal for Utica. For St. John's, Spencer Rudrud (1st) and Kernan (3rd) registered the two goals before Roberts turned away Jacob McPartland on the Johnnies' fourth try to seal the game.  
 
No. 3 Utica (6-0-3, 5-0-1, UCHC) will face the Elmira College Soaring Eagles in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Elmira downed Oswego State 7-1 on Saturday to reach Saturday's title bout.