By Currier Times Staff///

UPDATE March 30, 2025: Hobart beat Utica in the National Championship Game, 2-1, in overtime on Sunday March 30th to win its third national title in a row. It appears the Hobart Statesmen will be the team to beat when the Colonels resume their quest for a national championship in the 2025-26 season.

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A historic run by Curry Men’s Hockey ended at the 15:37 mark in overtime when the Utica Pioneers scored the winning goal, 2-1, sending them to the NCAA Division III National Championship game against Hobart on Sunday night. Hobart, the defending national champions, are now aiming for a three-peat when the two teams face off Sunday.

The game went back and forth with Utica scoring first, and Curry finally finding the net in the third period. Here’s a recap from Curry Athletics on how the game unfolded.

The Colonels amazing run was the deepest any Curry athletic team had ever gone in their respective national runs. Last year, they went to four overtimes in the Elite Eight match-up against Hobart. This year, they made it all the way to the Frozen Four.

Although they were the #1 seed, due to the size of the Canton Ice House, they couldn’t host the game at home, and had to travel on the road to #4 seed Utica. The Utica fans, on their home turf, packed the arena, cheering on the Pioneers.

Curry’s own fan bus was late to the game after it broke down on I-90 and was stuck for three hours before they could resume their travels to Utica, according to Division III Hockey News.

DIII Hockey News reported on the post-game news conference and talked with goalie Shane Soderwall, along with coach Peter Roundy.

Soderwall, only a sophomore, won the Sid Watson award Thursday night, given to the best hockey player in DIII hockey.

“I’m just super grateful to be here,” said Soderwall. “From the moment I talked to Coach, I knew that there was something special here. So just to be able to live that with these guys… throw on this jersey every day, it’s just meant so much to me.”

Coach Roundy, who won Coach of the Year in DIII hockey, marveled at the hard work his players showed all season.

“These guys have done an unbelievable job taking this program to really the national stage and to the Frozen Four for the first time in 50 years,” said Roundy. “I’m just super thankful and grateful for these seniors, especially because they’ve been here through the ups and downs, and just to continue to push the envelope for this program, it’s been amazing to see how far they’ve taken this thing over the last four years.”

Accolades filled the feeds on Twitter (X) after the game, as fans of Curry College Men’s Hockey thanked the team, and their coaches, for a great run.

And, here is the moment in overtime where Utica won the game.