Story Created:
Dec 11, 2010 at 6:07 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Dec 12, 2010 at 12:53 AM EDT
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The nationally-ranked No. 13 Utica College men’s hockey team hung on for a 3-2 victory over visiting Buffalo State in front of a school-record 3,829 fans the annual New York Sash Teddy Bear Toss Saturday night. Junior captain Tim Coffman totaled two assists and junior defender Max White netted the eventual game-winner in the second period to pace UC.
Freshman forward Adam Graff netted his third goal of the season to open the scoring with less than five minutes to go in the first period and that’s when the teddy bears began to fly. When it was all said and done well over 3,000 stuffed animals were strewn across the ice and collected by UC hockey players and several other helping hands. The stuffed animals will now be shipped off to local charities for distribution to children throughout the Mohawk Valley this holiday season. This year’s toy recipients include the House of the Good Shepherd, Hospice Greif and Loss Counseling for Utica City Schools and the Keeler in the Morning Toy Drive.
The Pioneers (9-4) carried a 3-1 lead into the third period until the Bengals (6-5-2) made the game interesting when freshman Mike Zannella netted his second goal of the evening midway through the third period to bring the visitors to within one goal, 3-2, with 9:27 to go.
The Utica defense, led by freshman goalie Nick Therrien’s 24 saves, fended off the Buffalo State offense for the final nine minutes as the Pioneers earned their second win over the Bengals in three games.
After UC went up 1-0 in the first period, Zanella knotted the score at 1-1 2:13 into the second period when he netted his first of two goals. Drew Klin and John Corrigan assisted on the Bengals first goal of the game.
Sophomore forward Evan Chlanda put the Pioneers back on top, 2-1, 3:35 later on the power-play when he scored his sixth goal of the season off assists from freshman Chris Santiago and Tim Coffman. 11:04 later White netted what would prove to be the game-winner off a one-timer from the point to put the Pioneers up by two goals, 3-1. Freshman classmates Steve Zappia and Jon Gaffney assisted on White’s first goal of the season.
Utica, which has now won four of its last five games, outshot the visitors 34-26 and also went 1-for-4 on the power-play.
Buffalo State freshman goalie Kevin Carr stopped 31 shots in net for the Bengals.
Utica, which is now 7-2 on its home ice this season, will not return to action until after the semester break when it hosts Curry College in a non-conference match up at the Aud. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m. The Colonels are currently 4-2-2 this season including a 2-1-1 mark in the ECAC Northeast Conference.
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