CASTLETON, VT – Senior forward Nick Miglio (San Antonio, TX/Bismarck (NAHL)) netted the game-winner, short-handed, with 3:09 to go in the overtime period as the Utica College men’s hockey team earned a 2-1 victory over host Castleton University on Friday night. With UC down a man, Miglio flew up the right side of the Pioneers’ offensive zone and put the brakes on, then let one defender pass, and wristed the game-winner past Castleton goalie Brody Wagner to hand Utica the one goal victory.
The Pioneers (6-3-1) are winners of three in a row and return to action next Saturday when they host the 11th annual New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss at the Utica Memorial Auditorium (7 p.m.). The highly popular Teddy Bear Toss game is already sold out, but the contest will be televised locally on WPNY and live streaming video will be available on the web at www.ucpioneers.com/watch. After the Pioneers score their first goal, thousands of stuffed animals will rain down on the ice and they will be collected and distributed to local charities for distribution to children throughout the holiday season. In the last ten years nearly 25,000 stuffed animals have been collected through the New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss.
After a scoreless first period of play, the Pioneers opened the scoring on the afternoon when sophomore Alex Brissette (Atlanta, GA/Hampton Roads (USPHL)) continued his break out year with his fifth goal of the season at the 8:27 ledger of the second period. Brissette’s goal was assisted by sophomore assistant captain Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) and freshman stand out Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)).
The home team answered with 2:05 left in the second period when Will Laking tallied his sixth goal of the season to tie the contest up at 1-1 headed into the third period of play.
Both teams were held scoreless in the final 20 minutes of regulation and the Spartans held a one man advantage in the overtime period when Miglio posted the game-winner.
Dawes currently leads UC with ten points this season on six goals and four assists. Miglio now has four goals on the year, including an impressive three game-winners for the Pioneers.
Utica freshman goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) stopped 30 shots on the afternoon and has now allowed just one goal in his last two starts. Wagner made 34 saves in between the pipes for the Spartans.
UC outshot Castleton 36-31 on the afternoon and held the Spartans to an 0-for-2 effort on the power-play.
Castleton’s record moved to 1-8-1 overall on the year and the Pioneers completed the season sweep of the Spartans after defeating them 5-2 at home in the regular season opener back on October 30th at the Aud.
