UTICA, NY - The No. 3 Utica University men's hockey team fell to the Elmira College Soaring Eagles 5-2 in the Delta by Marriott Utica Thanksgiving Showcase championship game on Saturday evening. 
 
Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) and Dante Spagnuolo (Newmarket, ON/Adrian College (NCAA DIII)) scored for the Pioneers while Khristian Acosta (Port Monmouth, NJ/Mercyhurst University (NCAA DI)) had a pair of assists. Shane Murphy (Oriskany, NY/Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)) and Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) had one helper each. In goal, Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) totaled 22 saves in the losing effort. 
 
Utica outshot Elmira 39 to 27, as 14 different players for Utica had at least one shot on goal. Matt Wood (Garnet Valley, PA/Richmond Generals (USPHL)) led Utica with six shots, followed by John Gutt (Middletown, NJ/Utica JR Comets (NCDC)) and Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) with five. Utica took care of business at the faceoff dot winning 46 out of 69. Jakob Breault (Acton Vale, QC/Alaska-Fairbanks (NCAA DI)) led the Pioneers with 20 faceoff wins. Both Utica and Elmira would capitalize on one power play goal each - the Pioneers going 1-for-3 on the night and the Soaring Eagles 1-for-4. 
 
Scoville and Alexander Gullichsen (Turku, Finland/Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)) were both named to the Delta by Marriott Utica Thanksgiving Showcase All-Tournament Team. 
 
Within the first five minutes of action, Utica freshman Domenick Evtimov (Northbrook, IL/Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL)) committed a cross-checking penalty, but the Pioneer penalty kill did its job, only letting up three shots. Goaltender Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) stood tall and denied them all. At 12:17 in the period, Roberts made a beautiful save off a shot from the slot from Elmira's Shawn Kennedy, keeping the score at zero. At 8:40 in the first, Utica's Matt Wood (Garnet Valley, PA/Richmond Generals (USPHL)) made a great defensive play in the team's offensive zone, but Soaring Eagle goaltender Kyle Curtin was there to deny him. 
 
With five minutes left in the period, Elmira went on its penalty kill after Kennedy was called for a cross-checking penalty and the Utica power play went to work getting a few shots off, but nothing finding the back of the net. Utica dominated the faceoff department, winning 15 of 17 in the first period. The teams would end the first in a scoreless draw. 
 
Both sides had quality scoring chances within the first five minutes of second period action, but neither teams couldn't find the net. Eventually, it would be the Pioneers who went on to strike first. 
 
At 9:42 in the second period, Khristian Acosta (Port Monmouth, NJ/Mercyhurst University (NCAA DI)) dished a gorgeous pass to Dante Spagnuolo (Newmarket, ON/Adrian College (NCAA DIII)), who scored his second goal as a Pioneer, giving Utica a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, Elmira scored its first goal of the evening as Kerfalla Toure scored his second goal of the weekend and second of the season on a breakaway, tying the game at one. 
 
Moments later, Elmira found the back of the net again to claim a 2-1 edge. Nicholas Domitrovic and Kennedy assisted Janis Vizbelis, whose shot ricocheted off a Utica defenseman. Utica would go back on its power play after a two-minute boarding penalty committed by Elmira's Toure. Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) would answer by scoring a one-timer off a rocket of a shot from just in front of the blue line with assists from Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) and Acosta, who recorded his second point of the night, tying the game at two. With just under one second remaining in the period, Elmira notched their third goal as Kennedy was able to get the puck past Roberts, giving Elmira a 3-2 lead to finish off the second. 
 
Entering the third period, Elmira would go to its power play after a roughing penalty by Acosta at the end of the second period. The Soaring Eagles would score just 26 seconds into the third period as Toure assisted Bailey Krawczyk, extending Elmira's lead to 4-2. With under three minutes to play the Soaring Eagles put a stamp on the contest with an empty net goal by Chance Gorman which would ultimately put an end to the game, 5-2. 
 
Utica (6-1-3, 5-0-1 UCHC) will host NCAA Division I Stonehill College on Friday, December 1 at 7 p.m. for the annual New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss. Limited tickets are still available at empirestatetix.com.