UTICA, NY – The Utica College men’s hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie against nationally-ranked No. 14 Neumann University in ECAC West Conference action on Saturday night at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The Pioneers trailed 2-1 midway through the third period when sophomore defender Dalton Carter (Toledo, OH/Northern Cyclones (EHL)) wristed home the game-tying tally on the power-play with 7:19 left in regulation. Both goalies stood strong for the remainder of regulation and through the five minute overtime stretch to see the regular season series square up at 1-1-1 between the Pioneers and the Knights.
Utica, fresh off a 2-1 victory over Neumann on Friday night, moved its record to 9-6-3 overall and 3-3-2 in the ECAC West. Neumann’s record is now 10-6-2 overall and 2-5-1 in the ECAC West.
The visiting Knights got on the board first when Jon Low slid home his fifth goal of the season just 1:05 into the contest to put Neumann on top 1-0. Connor Annett and Brandon Gagne assisted on the game’s opening goal.
Utica sophomore assistant captain Brett Szajner (Novi, MI/Amarillo (NAHL)) tied the score at 1-1 midway through the second period when he tallied his first goal of the season, assisted by Alex Roberts (Burnaby, British Columbia/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) and Kevin Valenti (Queensbury, NY/Northern Cyclones (EHL)), on the power-play. Valenti leads UC with 11 assists this year.
Neumann took a 2-1 lead with 1:07 left on the second period clock when Jordan Watt netted the go-ahead goal, assisted by Shane Topf and Steve Low.
Carter’s game-tying goal at 12:41 of the third period was assisted by freshman Hayden Dawes (Stony Plain, Alberta/Drayton Valley (AJHL)) and sophomore Anthony McVeigh (Kemptville, Ontario/Carleton Place (CCHL)). The Pioneers had one more power-play chance with 4:55 to go in regulation but could not get a shot past Neumann goalie Mitch Wiebe as the contest went into the five minute overtime period.
Utica earned a 5-3 shot advantage in overtime but both goalies stood strong as the final horn sounded with the score tied at 2-2.
Wiebe finished the night with 45 saves, while Utica goalie Michael Fredrick (Lethbridge, Alberta/Brooks Bandits (AJHL)) saw his record move to 9-5-3 on the year after making 32 saves.
The Pioneers went 2-for-10 on the power-play, while holding the visitors to an 0-for-2 effort with a man advantage.
Utica returns to the ice on the road next weekend when it travels to nationally-ranked No. 3/5 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.
