COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team stood tied with the 13th-ranked team in Division III early in the second period before dropping its season opener to Utica College, 7-1, on Saturday evening at Utica Memorial Auditorium. The Pioneers, now 3-1, are ranked in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll.

Senior Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery) knotted the contest early in the second period for the Purple Knights, while junior Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made 27 saves.

Sophomore Trever Hertz (Jaffray, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires) had two goals and an assist for Utica, while junior Evan Chlanda (Islip, N.Y./Springfield) scored twice. Sophomore Nick Therrien (Rochester, N.H./NY Apple Core) made 18 saves.

After Chlanda got the Pioneers on the board with 1:52 remaining in the first period, Earle struck for the tying marker off an assist from junior Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy) at 1:49 of the second. However, freshman Zach Smoot (Fort Collins, Colo./Amarillo Bulls) tallied the winner 50 seconds later, as Utica scored three times in each the second and third periods.

The Purple Knights remain on the road next weekend, opening Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East play on Friday at the University of Southern Maine at 7 p.m.