UTICA, NY - Utica University's women's hockey team is set to return to action in a home-and-home set with #7/6-ranked Nazareth University. The teams will face off on Nazareth's home ice on Friday afternoon, before Utica returns to the Nexus Center on Saturday, the 31st. Puck drop is set for 3:00 pm both days. 

Follow Along: The video stream for Friday's game can be found HERE, with live stats HERE. For all Utica home games, the video stream can be located HERE, with the live stats found HERE.

Morgan's Message: The Friday afternoon matchup at Nazareth will be the "Morgan's Message Game" for the Golden Flyers. Morgan's Message is a program designed to help break the stigma surrounding mental health in college athletics and ensure student athletes can find support in times of need. More information on Morgan's Message can be found at www.morgansmessage.org.

Connecticut Road Recap: The Pioneers returned to UCHC action last weekend with a two-game road set against first-time opponent Albertus Magnus College. The team entered the matchups on a 10-game winless streak that dated back to November 15th. In game one, the Falcons overcame a quick score by Utica captain Tess Barrett (Tewksbury, MA/St. Mark's), taking the first matchup 2-1. The following night, the Pioneers flipped the script, as Albertus Magnus took a 1-0 lead just four seconds sooner into the game than Barrett had the night prior. This time, Utica responded with two goals in the second period to take a 2-1 win of their own, snapping the program's longest winless skid. 

Isabella Boehm (Framingham, MA/) earned her first two starts in net, playing 59:00 in game one, and then playing out just the first period in game two. Over her total 79:00, she posted a 2.28 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/) entered for the remaining 40:00 of game two, saving all 11 shots she faced and claiming the win.

Notes on Nazareth: The Golden Flyers enter their matchups with the Pioneers with a 16-0-1 record. Nazareth has been ranked between fifth and seventh in both major polls throughout the season, even recently earning a first-place vote in some weeks. The squad has faced just one top-15-ranked team this season, defeating #15 Hamilton College 3-1 on December 9th. The sole blemish on their record came in a 2-2 tie with Buffalo State on January 16th. The team's last two games, a home set against Chatham, have been two of their biggest wins of the season, taking the games by scores of 6-0 and 7-1.

With the excellent performance so far this season comes some eye-popping stat lines. With the exception of faceoff wins, save percentage, and shorthanded goals, a Nazareth player leads the UCHC in every individual statistic. At the top, sophomore Amy Laskowski leads the team with 19 goals, adding 12 assists for 31 total points. Meredith Boettcher has scored 12 goals for the team, followed by Logan Marchese as the final player with more than five. Five separate Golden Flyers have reached 10+ assists, led by Brooke Judkiewicz with 13. Mackenzie Garrow has played 98% of Nazareth's ice time in net, playing to a 1.19 goals allowed average and a .922 save percentage. She has earned three shutouts in her 17 starts.

Up Next: Utica will compete in another home-and-home series next weekend with another first-time opponent, St. John Fisher University. The teams will face off at the Nexus Center at 4:00 pm on Friday, February 6th, before rematching the following day at 3:00 pm at the Rochester Ice Arena.