UTICA, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Clarence Beltz '29 scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Continentals defeated the Utica University Pioneers 3-1 in the 2025 Utica Thanksgiving Showcase championship game inside Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium on Saturday night, Nov. 29.
 

Season Update

• Nationally ranked No. 8 Hamilton (6-0-0 overall) earned the right to play for the tournament title with a 6-0 win against SUNY Morrisville on Nov. 28.
• The 10^th-ranked Pioneers (5-5-0), who are 4-0 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference, had won their previous five games. All five of Utica's losses have come against ranked teams.

 

How It Happened

• Hunter Longhi gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead 6:47 into the first period on a backhand shot after a slick individual move in the slot.
• The Continentals finally got on the scoreboard with 3:26 left in the second period. After penalties on Utica for holding and slashing 53 seconds apart, Hamilton had a 5-on-3 power play for a little over a minute.
• The Continentals didn't score on the two-man advantage, but they did with 40 seconds remaining on the second penalty. Ryan Sordillo '27 sent a pass from between the right boards and the faceoff circle to Luke Tchor '27, who was cutting towards the goal, for a wrist shot from the low slot. Another shot by Tchor banged off the frame of the goal earlier in the power play.
• Beltz notched the game-winner after a scramble in front of the Pioneers' net. Carson Hall '26 sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Brendan Waivada '27, who absorbed a vicious hit as the puck arrived. The puck deflected off Waivada's skate to Beltz and he whacked it into the back of the net from the top of the crease with 8:12 to go in the third.
• Utica's Alex Gomez nearly tied the score with about six minutes left but his shot clanged off pipe.
• The Pioneers called their timeout with 1:41 remaining and pulled their goaltender for a sixth skater. Utica put two shots on goal and Aksel Reid '27 turned both of them away.
• Justin Biraben '27 clinched the victory with 22.9 seconds to go. Biraben intercepted a pass and his shot from center ice went into the empty net.

 

Notes

• Tchor was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player while Beltz, Reid and defenseman John Wojciechowski '28 made the all-tournament team.
• Biraben finished with a goal and an assist for his third multi-point game already this season.
• Tchor has scored a goal in five of Hamilton's six games. He's tied for the NESCAC lead with six goals and leads the conference with 12 points.
• Beltz registered his second collegiate goal.
• Sordillo has an assist in four of the last five contests and five total this season.
• Waivada has a point in three straight games.
• Hall picked up his first point this season and the 15^th assist of his career with the Continentals.
• Reid made 11 of his 23 stops in the third period. He owns a 1.50 goals against average and .937 save percentage in four starts.
• Hamilton went 1-for-2 on the power play. The Continentals weren't whistled for any penalties and have had just 19 called on them this season.
• The two teams last played each other almost exactly 11 years ago. The Pioneers prevailed 5-3 in that meeting.

 

Next Game

Hamilton returns to its NESCAC schedule on Friday, Dec. 5 when the Continentals play at Williams College (2-3-0, 2-2 NESCAC) at 7 p.m.