UTICA, NY (February 3, 2023) --- The King's College men's ice hockey team traveled north to take on top-ranked Utica on Friday night, falling to the host Pioneers 11-1. With the loss King's falls to 4-13-2 overall and 3-10-1 in United Collegiate Hockey Conference play, while Utica Improves to 17-2-1 overall and 15-0-0 in UCHC play.
 
It was a back-and-forth affair to start, until Utica (17-2-1, 15-0-0) fired off the first two shots of the game, just over four minutes in, forcing sophomore Matt Bidini into two early saves. The Pioneers broke through just 15 seconds later, as Regan Cavanagh beat Bidini to put Utica up 1-0 at 4:19. King's (4-13-2, 3-10-1) settled in after the opening goal, as the teams traded chances for the remainder of the period, but Utica took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
 
The second period was all Utica, as the Pioneers tallied seven goals in the middle frame, including scoring five goals in five minutes, to take an 8-0 lead into the third period. King's responded early in the third period, as sophomore Luke Babilon finished off a pass from sophomore Patrick Nowak to put King's on the board at 2:30. However, that was as close as the Monarchs got, as the Pioneers added three more goals, to take the game 11-1.
 
Bidini got the start in goal, stopping 42 of 48 shots faced in just over 36 minutes of action, before being replaced by senior Ismael Ralsten, who stopped 27 of 32 shots. Offensively, the Monarchs were led by Babilon and Nowak, who tallied a goal and an assist respectively. King's won 19 of 69 face-offs, led by sophomore Tyler Blanchard, who won eight of 18 draws. The Monarchs went 0-1 on the power play and 1-2 on the penalty kill.
 
Bryan Landsberger got the start in net, playing the first two periods, stopping all 11 shots faced, before giving with to Avery Sturtz in the third period, who stopped four of five shots. Cavanagh and Mic Curran paced the Pioneers attack, as both tallied three points in the contest, on three goals and three assists respectively. Utica went 1-2 on the power play and 1-1 on the penalty kill, while winning 50 of 69 face-offs
 
King's finishes up the weekend road trip with the second game against top-ranked Utica on Saturday, with puck drop scheduled for 2 p.m.