BOSTON, Mass..-The 12th-ranked Hobart College ice hockey team was defeated by No. 9 UMass Boston 4-2 in New England Hockey Conference action this evening. The Statesmen are now 5-3-0 overall and 3-2-0 in conference play this season.
Senior Jonas Toupal and junior Will Harrison scored for the Statesmen. Junior Alexander Connal got the start in goal and made 32 saves. Garrison Sanipass led the way for the Beacons (9-1-0, 7-0-0), scoring twice. Bailey MacBurnie made 33 saves in goal as he recorded his eighth win of the season.
The teams were scoreless at the end of the first period with UMass Boston earning a 12-9 edge in shots on goal. The Statesmen had an opportunity to take the lead late in the period with the Beacons killing off a five minute major, but Hobart could not solve MacBurnie.
The Statesmen took a 1-0 lead at the 5:11 mark of the second period when Will Harrison pocketed his first goal of the season. He collected his own rebound and wristed the puck past MacBurnie and into the net. Mark Benemerito was credited with an assist on the goal.
UMass Boston took control of the game, scoring three straight goals in a span of five minutes. Chris Peters started the three goal outburst at the 10:14 mark with his third goal of the season. His power-play goal was assisted by John Regnart and Gabe Chuckran. Just under three minutes later Sanipass scored his first goal of the game. He picked up a rebound off a blocked shot and fired the puck past Connal. John Bonno was credited with an assist on the goal. He gave the Beacons a two goal lead at the 15:12 mark of the second period. His sixth goal of the season was assisted by Jeffrey Skinner.
Toupal’s team-leading eighth goal of the season made it a one-goal game headed into the third period. He one-timed a shot from the slot past MacBurnie. Juniors Lawson MacDougall and Zach Sternbach were credited with assists on the goal.
Hobart controlled the pace of play early in the third period but could not find the equalizer. MacBurnie made nine saves in the third period.
Ethan Nitkin sealed the victory for UMass Boston with an empty net goal at 18:14 of the third period.
The Beacons finished the game with a 36-35 edge in shots on goal. UMass Boston was 1-for-3 with the man advantage while the Statesmen were 0-for-6 on the power play.
The Statesmen will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on Babson. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Babson Park, Mass.
