UTICA, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team is receiving votes in the latest D3hockey.com National Poll released Monday. The Pioneers return to the receiving votes category after a 1-0-1 weekend in ECAC West Conference action against Neumann at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
The D3hockey.com Top 15 is voted on by a panel of 20 coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly.
The Pioneers topped the then-ranked No. 14 Neumann Knights 2-1 on Friday night, before rallying to earn a 2-2 tie on Saturday night. Freshman forward Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) registered three assists over the weekend and is tied for third in the ECAC West this season in rookie scoring with 11 points (.65 points per game). Utica College sophomore defender Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) netted one goal and added one assist over the weekend, while freshman goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) averaged 30.5 saves per game and allowed just three goals all weekend.
Freshman Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) still leads the ECAC West in rookie scoring with 14 points this season (eight goals, six assists), while sophomore Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) ranks second on the team with 13 points on two goals and 11 assists.
Utica (9-6-3, 3-3-2 ECAC West) returns to the ice on the road next weekend when it travels to nationally-ranked No. 3/4 Hobart College for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday. The puck will drop on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday.
