LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- This season’s Utica College men’s hockey team set a new school record for goals with 121 and fewest goals allowed, 2.16 per game, but it’s power play is ranked 46^th nationally.  That was the difference in their NCAA division III men’s ice hockey semifinal game against Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Friday night, March 15, in Lake Placid, N.Y.  The Pioneers failed to score a single goal in six power play opportunities and fell to the Blugold 5-1.

 Fourth ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire (23-5-2) spotted number seven Utica (21-6-1) the game’s first goal before sophomore Ross Anderson and senior Kurt Weston tallied two goals apiece to lead the Blugold into the school’s first championship game tomorrow night, where they’ll face number three Oswego State University.

After a scoreless first period, sophomore Louis Educate put the Pioneers on the board with 10 minutes played in the second period.  Blugold senior Jordan Singer tied the score at 1-1, three minutes, 15 seconds later, before Anderson added the eventual game winner at the 13:37 mark of the period.

Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who along with Utica, were making their Frozen Four debut added three more goals, on just six shots, in the third period.  Weston scored twice.  He added one goal at 1:29 before scoring a short-handed goal at 13:02.

Anderson added an empty netter at the 17:21 mark.

First Team West All-American goalie, senior, Brandon Stephenson tallied 31 saves in the win, while junior Nick Therrien stopped 21 shots in the loss.

The Blugold will square off against the Lakers, at 7 p.m., in the famed Olympic center’s 1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena.  Oswego (25-4-0) advanced to the championship with a 6-3 victory over Norwich University in Friday night’s first semifinal game.  Since winning the national championship crown in 2007, the Oswego has played in four straight Frozen Fours.  Last season they fell to St. Norbert 4-1 in the championship contest.

Tickets remain on sale and are available on-line by visiting http://purchase.tickets.com/, by calling the Olympic center box office, 518-523-3330, or by stopping by the center’s box office, 2634 Main St., Lake Placid. The NCAA division III men’s ice hockey national championship will also be streamed live on-line on NCAA.Com.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.