UTICA, NY - The No. 7 Utica University men's hockey team returns from semester break this weekend with a pair of UCHC bouts against the Manhattanville College Valiants. Utica will host M'Ville at the Utica University Nexus Center at 7:30 p.m. on Friday for the program's first ever game at the new rink. On Saturday the sides will return next door to the ADK Bank Center at 7 p.m.
Ticket Info: Limited tickets are still available for both games. Fans can purchase theirs through
https://empirestatetix.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=UCP&linkID=utica&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=. For those purchasing four or more tickets, use promo code "NEXUS" to receive all four for $30.
Follow Along: Live video and stats for both games can be accessed through
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/.
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Last Time Out: The then-No. 4 Utica University men's hockey team fell on the road to the Oswego State Lakers, 3-2, on December 9, 2023. The Lakers, who received votes in the latest USCHO Top-15 Poll, outshot the Pioneers 27-23 on the night while Utica controlled the faceoff dot, 40-32. For the Pioneers,
Michael Herrera (Syracuse, NY/Utica Comets (NCDC)) and
Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) notched goals in the game.
Domenick Evtimov (Northbrook, IL/Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL)) and
Chris Carroll (Islip, NY/New Jersey Titans (NAHL)) had assists as well. In goal,
Ethan Roberts (Cary, NC/University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)) made 24 saves in the losing effort. The first period provided some early excitement for spectators as the Lakers netted one early into the game. At 2:04, Cam Symons found the back of the net to give Oswego a 1-0 lead. However, the Pioneers responded 12 minutes later by way of an
Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) goal to even the score. Despite physical play, neither side found itself in the penalty box through the first to go into the second even at one apiece. When the first power play opportunity came, however, the Lakers would be the benefactors and made the most of it. At 15:14, Shane Bull buried a goal to regain the lead for the Lakers. Utica had a man-up chance towards the end of the period as well, one that eventually turned into a 5-on-3 over the final seconds of the second frame. The Pioneers opened the third on the advantage and put a pair of unsuccessful shots on net. Less than six minutes into the period though, the Lakers extended their lead to 3-1 with a tally by Tyler Flack. While Herrera trimmed the Pioneers' deficit to one goal with a score at 14:06, the Lakers defense held steady to maintain their lead for the upset victory.
In the Polls: The Utica University men's hockey team slipped to No. 7 in the US College Hockey Online men's Top 15 that was released on December 11. The Pioneers received 190 points in the rankings to remain inside of the top 10. Utica fell on the road to the Oswego State Lakers in its last game on December 9, 3-2, who sit just outside of the top 15 with 20 points in the latest poll. The entire Division III men's poll can be found at
https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-iii-mens-poll/.
Where We Stand: Coming out of the break the Pioneers find themselves fourth in the UCHC standings with 16 points (5-0-1). However, the team has played three fewer league games than current first place Stevenson (20 points) and four less than Wilkes, who also has 20 points. Each of the team's final 14 games come against conference foes with nine being played at home: seven at the ADK Bank Center and two at the Utica University Nexus Center. Through 11 games played the team has not only allowed the fewest goals in the league (20), but its average of 1.92 goals allowed per game is tied for the 9th best mark in Division III. Some of the defensive success can be attributed to Utica's ability to stay out of the penalty box as the team has committed the second-fewest penalties in the UCHC while its 99 minutes of penalty time is also the second fewest in the league.
On a Mission: Quietly or not,
Aiden Hughes (Mississauga, ON/Milton Menace (OJHL)) has found his stride since early November. After not recording a point in his first three outings, the freshman has had at least one in seven of his last eight outings. The current run he is on has him tied for the team lead with 11 points on the back of five goals and six assists. Hughes can pin some of this success on his ability to remain on the ice during his shifts as he is one of the least penalized players on the Pioneers with just one called on him thus far.
Pave the Way: On a young Pioneer team, the experience of
Brian Scoville (Agawam, MA/Alabama-Huntsville (NCAA DI)) and
Khristian Acosta (Port Monmouth, NJ/Mercyhurst University (NCAA DI)) have paid dividends. Scoville's five goals are tied for the most on the team while his plus/minus of +10 leads the team and is tied for fourth in the UCHC. As for Acosta, he has distributed the puck like no other this season with a team high eight assists, a mark that is well within the top-20 in the conference.
About the Valiants: Manhattanville enters the weekend 4-9-0 overall and 4-5-0 in UCHC play while fresh off a 5-2 home loss to SUNY Cortland on Jan. 2. The offensive production has undoubtedly run through Artem Mateichenko, who is tied for eighth in the UCHC with 14 points and tied for first in the league with his 12 assists. Beyond him, no one of the team has produced more than seven points. The pair that have are AJ Bella and Dan Barry; Bella on a team high four goals and three assists while Barry on three goals and four assists. As a team, the Valiants own a -1.5 scoring margin which ranks 10th out of 11 in the conference (51 goals allowed, 32 goals scored). Where the team has found consistent success has been on the dot as the team only ranks behind the Pioneers in the UCHC with a .540 faceoff winning percentage. In goal, sophomore and former Utica Jr. Comet, Sebastian Woods, has appeared in 11 games with 10 starts. He owns a 4-6-0 record while having allowed 2.98 goals per game over a .905 save percentage.
Series History: Since the series first began in the 2001-02 season, the Pioneers hold a 33-23-5 all-time record against the Valiants. Utica is currently on a nine-game winning streak when facing Manhattanville since 2019-20 while also having won 19 of the last 20 contests since February 6, 2016. Over three meetings last year Utica outscored M'Ville 19-4 including a decisive 11-0 victory at home in the UCHC Semifinals.
Up Next: Utica will hit the road for a two-game set at Neumann University on January 12 and 13.
