Elmira at #10/9 Utica
Game Details	Saturday, March 3 | Utica, N.Y. | 7:00 p.m.
Game Notes	Game Notes Link
Ticket Information	Tickets Link
Game Coverage	Live Video: Video Link Live Stats: Stats Link Live Audio: Audio Link
Utica Links	Roster | Schedule | Stats

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey team is set to challenge No. 10/9-ranked Utica College in the championship game of the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Tournament on Saturday, March 3, at 7:00 p.m. at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The fifth-seeded Soaring Eagles topped second-seeded Stevenson by a 5-3 final score on Saturday, February 24, at the Reisterstown Sportsplex in Reisterstown, Maryland. Elmira quickly grabbed momentum in the contest by taking a 2-0 lead after the first 5:52. Nick Ford '20 sealed the victory for the Purple and Gold, as his second-period tally at the 14:02 mark was credited as the game-winner and his empty-net goal with 21 seconds left in the third period gave EC a decisive 5-3 advantage. Ford ended the evening with a career-high-tying five points, as he had a hand in all five of Elmira's scores. Ford's linemates, Matthew Cuce '20 (3a) and Connor Powell '20 (1g-1a), joined him as multi-point scorers. Between the pipes for the Soaring Eagles, freshman Gennaro Anzevino '21 tied a season-high with 43 saves to earn his ninth victory of the season.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
Saturday's bout continues Elmira's long tradition of competing in conference tournament title games. In EC's 44 years of varsity play, the Soaring Eagles have won 10 league championships, all coming in the former ECAC West Conference. Under Head Coach Aaron Saul's guidance, the Purple and Gold have walked away with two conference titles, the most recent of which came on March 8, 2014, in a 5-2 defeat over Utica.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
After beginning the year 1-4-1 in road games this season, Elmira is 4-1-1 in its last six away contests. The Soaring Eagles went from scoring 2.00 goals per game in their first six road tilts to averaging 4.17 in their last six. On the defensive end of the ice, Elmira lowered its goals-against average from 3.50 to 2.67. Anzevino started four of EC's most recent games away from the Murray Athletic Center and has gone a perfect 4-0-0 in those bouts.

ALL-CONFERENCE WINNERS 
With strong play throughout the season, Elmira saw four Soaring Eagles receive end-of-year accolades from the conference office on Tuesday. The list of players honored included Ford, who was named to the All-UCHC First Team, Cuce, an All-Conference Second-Team selection, and All-Rookie Team members, Anzevino and Ryan Blais '21. For the full release of EC's All-Conference winners please click here.
 
SCOUTING UTICA
The top-seeded Pioneers skate into Saturday's title game with a 20-5-1 overall record. Utica has been dominant in league play this season, as it owns a conference-best 12-4-0 record in UCHC play, in addition to being first in the league in scoring offense (4.81 gpg), scoring defense (2.00 gpg) and power-play efficiency (27.1 percent). Sophomore goalie Patrik Virtanen has been in charge of this skilled defense, as he has started 16 of the team's 26 games. The international product from Vantaa, Finland, paces the conference in goals-against average (2.27) and winning percentage (.776), while also ranking second in save percentage (.923). On the other end of the ice, senior forward Roman Ammirato leads the Utica offense with 41 points (21g-20a). Defender Dalton Carter has also had a major impact on the Utica attack, as he leads the team with 26 assists and is second with 36 points.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Soaring Eagles and Pioneers have squared off 50 times prior to Saturday's meeting. In the previous encounters, Elmira holds a 27-17-6 advantage over its long-time conference rival. EC won both bouts in the series this season, earning identical 5-1 victories in the home-and-home series. Elmira's triumph in Utica on November 11 was the team's first at the Adirondack Bank Center, formerly known as the Utica Memorial Auditorium, since the 2014-15 campaign.
 
UP NEXT
The winner of Saturday's championship game is not guaranteed a spot in the 2018 NCAA Division III Tournament, as the UCHC was not awarded an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Whoever comes out triumphant on Saturday will have to wait until the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Selection Show on Monday, March 5, at 10:30 a.m. to find out its fate.