The No. 15 Hobart College hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead, but Nazareth rallied to defeat the Statesmen 7-2 in an ECAC West game played tonight in the Golden Flyers’ Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex.
Hobart is now 11-6-0 overall and 4-3-0 in conference play, while Nazareth improves to 8-6-3 overall and 4-1-2 in the ECAC West. The Golden Flyers snapped the Statesmen’s three-game win streak.
The Statesmen took a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game. Just 1:43 in, senior Brad McBride (Lone Tree, Colo.) put Hobart up 1-0 off an assist from classmate Sean Rudy (Long Sault, Ontario). At 4:59, sophomore Mitch Beyer (Clifton Park, N.Y.) logged a power-play goal after passes from sophomore Jon Neal (Encinitas, Calif.) and junior Mac Olson (Grosse Pointe, Mich.).
The Golden Flyers then took control of the game, notching four second-period goals and adding three more in the third period. Scott Dawson led Nazareth with a goal and three assists. David Seward chipped in two goals, including the game-tying goal at 9:11 in the second period. Scott Andler added a goal and an assist and Rocky Gruttadauria registered two assists. Ed Zdolshek played all 60 minutes in goal for Nazareth and finished with 36 saves.
Junior goalie Lino Chimienti (Montreal, Quebec) played all 60 minutes between the pipes for Hobart and made 25 saves. The Statesmen held a 38-32 edge in total shots. Hobart finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Golden Flyers were 0-for-2.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow, Jan. 24, in Rochester, New York, for another ECAC West match. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.
