UTICA TRAVELS TO BALTIMORE TO TAKE ON BLAST

Tonight’s Game: Utica City heads down to Baltimore to square off with the Blast. Kickoff is at 6:05 p.m.

Last Game: It was a low-scoring defensive affair, but Utica City prevailed 4-3 over the Harrisburg Heat Sunday afternoon at the Adirondack Bank Center. Ricardo Diegues scored twice, while Jake Schindler and Onua Obasi chipped in with a goal apiece. Andrew Coughlin made four saves on six shots in the win. A fiery finish saw James Togbah receive a suspension to be served tonight.

Head to Head: This is the third matchup between Utica and Baltimore this year. The two teams have split the season series so far, with Utica most recently winning 4-2 back on November 24. City has outscored the Blast 11-10 through two games.

Scouting the Blast: Baltimore comes in with a record of 2-1 and is tied for third in the Eastern Division. They most recently beat the Orlando SeaWolves 14-5 last Saturday. Vini Dantas is the team’s leading scorer with 10 points, followed by Juan Pereira with six points. William Vanzela is the top goaltender with a record of 2-1, a 5.33 goals-against average, and a .680 save percentage. 

Rolling: The boys in blue have been on a roll since dropping their season opener. Utica has won three games in a row coming into tonight and are averaging six goals a game with a +10 goal differential. City has outscored opponents 17-6 during their winning streak.

Leading the Way: Bo Jelovac continues to be an offensive force for Utica. Jelovac has four points in his last two games and three multi-point games already this year. The captain has racked up seven points (2-5-7) in four games this year.

Settling In: Ricardo Diegues has been a tremendous addition to the Utica lineup so far this season. Diegues has scored in every game he has played in this year, including the eventual game-winning goal this past Sunday, and leads the team with 14 shots on goal. Overall, Diegues has four points (4-0-4) in three games this year. 

Wall of Steel: Andrew Coughlin is emerging as one of the top keepers in the league. Coughlin has allowed three goals or less in three straight games and sits fourth in the league in goals-against average and save percentage. He is also tied for the league lead in wins. Overall, Coughlin is 3-1 with a 3.27 goals-against average and a .771 save percentage. 

Next Game: Utica City is back in action on December 28 when they host the Harrisburg Heat. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available at the Box Office, over the phone by calling (315) 790-9070, or online at www.empirestatetix.com. The game can be viewed on MASL.tv.