A quick look at the UCHC standings finds an unbeaten Utica squad entering the final week of the regular season and prepping for another conference title run beginning next week. While the results are not necessarily unusual, the way coach Gary Heenan’s team has achieved them has been different than recent past rosters. A look up and down the stat sheet shows great contributions from the full roster and balance that Utica has taken advantage of in their claim to the No. 2 ranking in the country behind Hobart. The formula may be different, but the “all-for-one” approach is setting the Pioneers up for a strong playoff run in February and March.
“It has definitely been by committee this season and we knew that going in,” said Heenan. “We do not have anyone leading any category in the league but have leadership in important team statistics like faceoff win percentage and plus/minus. We do not have the high-end guys with big numbers that we have had in the past couple of seasons here, but we have many players who are contributing up and down the lineup and we have given our young guys a chance to compete for playing and special teams time while learning the college game. We have had a different lineup each weekend game with five-in and five-out to give everyone in the lineup a chance to play and grow.”
With such a young group, leadership and showing the right way to practice and play has fallen to defenseman Brian Scoville who is enjoying his best season since coming to Utica. Scoville (8G – 17A – 25 Pts; +29) leads the team in scoring and plays big minutes in every situation along with assistant captain Kimball Johnson who mans the opposite pairing for the Pioneers. Getting four first-year students that dress every game on the blueline up to speed has been a big part of Scoville and Johnson’s calling while making sure the team overall is on the fast track to learning and improving.
“Brian did not get any ice time on the power play when we had Jason [Dobay] and Justin [Allen] here,” stated Heenan. “Now he is leading the first power play group and Kimball the second unit. We never knew he had such a cannon from the point, but he is using it effectively this year and has been incredibly dependable for us on the ice every other shift and over 25 minutes per game. Those two play on opposite shifts except maybe in the final minute of a period or key game situation so they have really helped accelerate our development with the young players this season.”
Historically, Utica has played a No.1 goaltender with a backup and this season has also reflected a different kind of balance between Bryan Landsberger and Ethan Roberts. Landsberger won twenty-five games a year ago but was on the losing end of the season ending NCAA tournament loss in overtime to UNE. Roberts came in to start the season and played as the No. 1 with Landsberger working hard to get crease time. Since December, the pair have alternated Friday and Saturday games, and the team has benefited from the balance and competitive support the two netminders have provided over the past couple of months.
“We have moved to a 1A and 1A model with Bryan and Ethan,” stated Heenan. “Lands probably got punished a little unfairly for the overtime loss last season but to his immense credit he came in here and just worked harder while supporting Ethan. I think the alternating approach helps the team with a fresh guy each night and a different goalie to challenge the opponent in a two-game series. We like how it is working out and both guys are supportive of each other while focused on playing their best when called upon.”
With just the final weekend series against Arcadia on tap to close out the regular season, the Pioneers are gearing up for another UCHC title run that will have some challenging opponents potentially coming to Utica in the next couple of weeks. The focus is on the conference title to guarantee entry to the national tournament again.
“No question our league is better this year,” noted Heenan. “We are coming into the last weekend of the regular season, and everyone is playing for something in terms of playoff position or getting in to the post-season so we cannot take a team like Arcadia lightly. Wilkes and Stevenson have both proven to be very good hockey teams and while we haven’t seen them since the first half, we know that like us they have improved their game in preparation for a chance to win a conference championship. There is a lot riding on the next couple of weeks and being at home is great for our young team to stay focus and rested. We are finalizing our lineup for this part of the season with some recent tinkering to three lines upfront, but we are excited to see where this team can go.”
Quarterfinal action in the UCHC tournament begins on Wednesday, February 21 with Utica having already clinched the top seed and awaiting the results of this weekend to determine their quarterfinal opponent.
