UTICA, N.Y. – The Wilkes University men's ice hockey squad met the Utica Pioneers in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) showdown featuring two squads undefeated in conference play.
 
The Colonels (9-1-0, 6-1-0), ranked 11th in the latest USHCO.com national poll, battled hard with Utica (8-2-0, 5-0-0), ranked third in the same poll, but it wasn't enough as they fell in an evenly matched 3-2 showdown that saw neither team lead by more than a goal at any point. 
 
The Pioneers struck first in the first period at 10:42 for the lone goal on either side in the first period, but senior forward Phil Erickson (Eau Claire, WI/) replied at 3:55 in the second with help from senior forwards Tyler Barrow (Massapequa, NY/Saint Anthony's) and Devon Schell (Scarsdale, NY/).  Utica wiped out the goal with one of their own at 8:36. The squads battled back and forth, but neither side was able to make the one-goal edge budge before the horn sounded on the second frame.
 
Senior forward Jay Gallagher (Reading, MA/) evened the game at two all at 4:32 in the third period with assists from sophomore forward Jimmy O'Kane (Chicago, IL/Notre Dame Prep) and senior forward Tyson Araujo (Vineyard Haven, MA).  A Pioneer power play started at 6:17 to give them a chance to take back their one-goal advantage, but the Navy and Gold penalty kill put the clamps on the Utica offense and allowed only a single shot.  The Pioneers would have another opportunity at 10:32 on the power play and ended up getting past the Colonels defense after it expired at 12:49 to take back the lead.
 
The Colonels went empty net with 1:44 left to play, and got an extra man advantage with a power play opportunity with 00:28 left to play in the game, but were unable to put home their last couple of shot opportunities. 
 
The two squads were nearly evenly matched the entire game with the Colonels outshooting the Pioneers 25-22.  Junior Michael Paterson-Jones (Baldwinsville, NY/) had 19 saves in the loss, while Sean Dickson stood tall for Utica with 23 saves in the victory.  Neither team converted a power play into goals, with both Utica and Wilkes going 0-4.  Utica won the faceoff battle 33-19 over the Navy and Gold.
 
The Colonels look forward to yet another battle with a top three team in the country as they play No. 2 Adrian College at 1:00 p.m. next Saturday, December 11 in a neutral site game at the Long Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.  The showdown will be the first time the Colonels will meet with the perennial power Bulldogs in men's ice hockey.