UTICA, NY – For a seventh consecutive season, and a tenth time overall, the #1 Utica University men’s ice hockey team has captured a conference regular season title. The Pioneers maintained their stranglehold on the United Collegiate Hockey Conference regular season title as the only team to win one as well, as they notched their sixth as a member of the league with an overwhelming 6-2 win over visiting King’s College in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference game at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
The Pioneers improve to 18-2-1 overall with four games left in the regular season. They have 46 standings points, which is clear of the maximum point total for any other UCHC team, by way of a 16-0-0 league record. Utica has won eleven straight games, and is unbeaten in its last nineteen contests.
Program history was in the cards for Utica as well. The Pioneers recorded a program-record 96 shots on goal, while defenseman Justin Allen (Hilton, NY/Rochester Monarchs (NCDC)) stepped on the ice for his 111th career game to set a new mark for games played in a Utica Pioneers uniform.
Utica out-shot the Monarchs by a 96-20 clip, while both teams scored a power play goal.
John Moncovich (Wilmington, NC/Hampton Roads Whalers (USPHL)) and Remy Parker (Montclair, NJ/University of Maine (NCAA DI)) each scored twice for the Pioneers to set the pace. Connor Fedorek (Bethel Park, PA/Ferris State University (NCAA DI)) and Regen Cavanagh (Chesapeake, VA/Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)) scored one goal apiece. Jayson Dobay (Weymouth, MA/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)) had three assists, while Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach, CA/Austin Bruins (NAHL)) logged a pair of helpers. Moncovich now has a point in eight consecutive games, while Parker’s point streak resides at twelve games in a row.
Bryan Landsberger (Montreal, Quebec/Nepean Raiders (CCHL)) stopped 18 of 20 shots to earn the win.
In net for King’s, Ismael Ralsten made a remarkable 90 saves. Denys Arkhypenko and Casey Gerstein scored for the Monarchs.
The Pioneers have earned the right to host in every round of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament, provided they advance. They will play their final four regular season games on the road, beginning with a pair of games at Alvernia next weekend.
