As of 11/25*
UTICA, NY - The No. 8 Utica University women's hockey team readies for a big week of action. First, the team hosts the SUNY Canton Kangaroos on Tuesday, November 26, at 7 p.m. at the Utica University Nexus Center. The Pioneers then travel to Tampa, FL, for the Sunshine Turkey Classic hosted by No. 13 Norwich University on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30. No. 12 Trinity College and No. 5 Adrian College will also be in attendance. For more information, please access the women's hockey schedule. 

Follow Along: Canton live video here and live stats here. Sunshine Turkey Classic live video and live stat link.

Last Time Out: The No. 8 Utica University Women's Hockey Team had a quick turnaround on November 23, facing their biggest rival on home ice with the goal being redemption for the previous night's defeat. Nazareth was the opponent, the same side Utica faced on Friday night in Rochester. This time around, on home ice, the Pioneers looked to turn the tides. The Pioneers broke through in the second period, taking a 1-0 lead before eventually seeing the visitors knot things up with minutes remaining in the third period. Utica had the last laugh though, with Kaci Ryder (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsburg (Lady Flames)) hitting home a game-winner to give the Pioneers a statement 2-1 win over their fierce UCHC rival. The matchup was a clean and fluid contest throughout the first 25 minutes of play, with neither team scoring or accruing any penalty time. That changed midway through the second period though, as the final 35 minutes of the contest were filled to the brim with power plays and penalties of all kinds. Both regulation scores were obtained on the back of power play advantages, with each team converting one such chance in regulation. Utica had three power plays during the proceedings, with every chance coming during the final 25 minutes of play. The Pioneers regulation score came during the first power play off the stick of Maya Jerome (Belleville, MI/Belle Tire). It was on the penalty kill though, that the team showed their class. Angela Hawthorne (Santa Clara, CA/Meijer) led a Pioneer penalty kill team that salted away six minutes of penalty time in the final half of the matchup, successfully warding off three Nazareth power plays before eventually succumbing to the Golden Flyers' pressure on their final penalty kill opportunity before overtime. Hawthorne was unbelievable in the contest, making saves from various spots as she threw pads, gloves, sticks, and seemingly the kitchen sink at each shot that entered her vicinity. The veteran netminder recorded 28 saves, notching six of those saves during her four minutes of overtime play. Hawthorne stood her ground in the face of an overwhelming Nazareth attack to begin the extra period, allowing her team time to make some crucial line changes and find the winning score. The other feature stats were pretty similar between both teams, with Nazareth gaining a slight edge in shots by a 29-28 margin. The Golden Flyers also took 35 of the 65 faceoffs in the matchup. Utica's skilled forwards gave them a slight edge in blocks, recording many stops near the blue line during the opposing power plays and ending with a 13-12 lead in blocked shots. Jerome and Ryder had the two Utica goals, while Hailey Modlin (Phoenix, AZ/Boston Shamrocks) and Autumn Mish (Long Lake, NY/University of New Hampshire (NCAA DI)) each picked up an assist. Utica improved to 7-1 and 3-1 in conference play.
 
By The Numbers: Utica's defense is second in the nation with seven goals against. Three out of the seven goals this season scored against Utica were power-play opportunities by the opposing team. The only 5v5 goals allowed by Utica came in the same game on November 22 against Nazareth (4). The Pioneers are outscoring their opponents 49 to 7. Ryder has at least one point in seven out of eight games played and seven points (2g, 5a) in the past four. Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy (Belle Tire)) and Modlin have combined for 39 faceoff wins in two games. The two primary faceoff takers for Utica have given the team plenty more offensive possessions as the team's totaled 289, 100 more than the second team (Nazareth). Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, NY/Plattsburgh State University (NCAA DIII)) leads the UCHC with five goals in her first season with Utica. Carly Stefanini (Framingham, MA/Brooks School), Ally Nolan (Westford, MA/Chatham University (NCAA DIII)) and Ryder are right behind with four goals, respectively. Hawthorne leads the conference with a .953 save percentage and is second with 121 saves in eight games behind Samantha Brophy of Chatham. Autumn Mish (Long Lake, NY/University of New Hampshire (NCAA DI)) is a force on the ice as her plus-15 rating leads the Pioneers. Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's) leads Utica defenders with eight points off one goal and seven assists.

Scouting Canton: The Kangaroos are 2-5-0 overall and 1-4-0 in SUNYAC play. Canton's two wins came against Adrian College (1-0 OT) and SUNY Cortland (2-1). Freshman Bailey Cote leads the team with two goals, including the game-winning goal against Cortland on November 15. Sophomore Riley Andzel has three points off two assists and one goal, along with a team-leading 26 shots and a plus-4 rating. All three goaltenders on Canton have seen time this season, each starting at least one game. Molly Lenihan has started three games, posting a 2.35 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. Abyy Seaman has started three, sporting a 2.30 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. 

History Against Canton: Utica is 8-1 all-time against the Kangaroos, with their only loss coming in the 2020 season (3-0). 

Scouting Norwich: The Cadets are 5-2-0 overall and 5-1-0 in NECHC play. Norwich has been playing great hockey, winning their last five games after falling in their first two against Plattsburgh (3-1) and Elmira (3-1). In the team's five-game win streak, the team is outscoring its opponents 16 to 3. Olivia Boyer leads the Cadets with seven points off four goals and three assists on only 11 shots. Boyer's four goals and three apples all came in the team's five-game stretch. Livia Brooks is second with four goals, two assists and a team-leading 32 shots. 

Scouting Trinity: Trinity is 5-0-0 overall and 4-0-0 in NESCAC play. The team is coming off two shutout wins against Hamilton College (2-0 and 3-0). Martina Exnerova leads Trinity with four goals, one assist and 31 shots. Three of her goals were scored against Albertus Magnus on November 19 and one against Connecticut College. Kate French has five points off three goals and two assists. All five of her five assists came in one game against Albertus Magnus. Madeline Carter is the starting goaltender, sporting a 1.29 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. 

Scouting Adrian: The team is 7-1-0 overall and 6-0-0 in the NCHA. The team is on a seven-game winning streak, with their only loss in overtime against SUNY Canton (1-0). Adrian hasent allowed more than one goal a game, allowing only five in eight games. Courtney Ben leads the Bulldogs with 18 points off 10 goals and eight assists. Maya Roy leads Adrian with 11 assists in six out of eight games. Annie Gilbert has started five games, sporting a 4-1-0 record and one shutout. 

Up Next: The Pioneers head to Middlebury, VT, for a non-conference matchup against Middlebury College on Wednesday, December 4, at 4 p.m.