UTICA, NY (February 4, 2023) --- Senior goaltender Isamel Ralsten shattered the school record, making 90 saves, stopping the third most shots in a game in NCAA history, as the King's College men's ice hockey team fell to top-ranked Utica 6-2 on Saturday in Utica, NY. With the loss, King's falls to 4-14-2 overall and 3-11-1 in United Collegiate Hockey Conference action, while Utica improves to 17-3-1 overall and 16-0-0 in UCHC play.
 
It was a back-and-forth affair to start, before Utica (17-3-1, 16-0-0) opened the scoring just past the midway point of the opening period as Regen Cavanagh found the net to put Utica on top 1-0 at 11:51. Just two minutes later the Pioneers doubled their lead on a John Moncovich tally at 13:51 to go up 2-0. King's (4-14-2, 3-11-1) responded late in the period. With the Monarchs on the power play, sophomore Casey Gerstein finished off a passing play from fellow sophomores Denys Arkhypenko and Kent Lee to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 18:52. After the first period Utica led 2-1. The Pioneers pushed the lead back to two goals at 6:55 of the second period on a Remy Parker goal to give Utica a 3-1 lead heading to the third period.
 
In the third period, King's pushed to cut into the deficit, before Utica extended the lead again on Moncovich's second goal of the game at 7:51, to put the Pioneers up 4-1. Utica tallied twice in just under a span of two minutes, to extend the lead to 6-1 at 18:43. In the final minute Arkhypenko got King's back on the board on an unassisted tally at 19:18, to make the final score 6-2.
 
Ralsten was fantastic in net, setting the school record, stopping 90 of 96 shots faced. Offensively, the Monarchs were paced by Arkhypenko who tallied two points on a goal and an assist, while Gerstein and Lee both added one point, on a goal and an assist respectively. King's won 22 of 65 face-offs, led by sophomore Tyler Blanchard who won 11 of 24 draws. The Monarchs went 1-2 on the power play and 3-4 on the penalty kill.
 
Bryan Landsberger got the start in net, stopping 18 of 20 shots. The Pioneers were led by Jayson Dobay on offense, who tallied three points on three assists. Utica went 1-2 on the penalty kill and 1-4 on the power play, while winning 43 of 65 face-offs.
 
King's returns home for one game, as the Monarchs host cross-town rival Wilkes University on Wednesday night at 8:15 p.m. at the Revolution Ice Centre.