GENEVA, N.Y.-The 12th-ranked Hobart College ice hockey team used a three-goal first period to secure a 6-1 victory over the University of Southern Maine in NEHC play at The Cooler this evening. With the win, the Statesmen are now 4-2-0 overall and 2-1-0 in conference play this season.
Hobart had five players record multi-point games in the victory. Juniors Lawson MacDougall and first-year Zach Tyson led all skaters with three points each. Sophomore Travis Schneider notched a pair of goals for the Statesmen. First-year Joe Halstrom made 27 saves in goal as he earned a victory in his collegiate debut. Mark Tomaschek scored for the Huskies (1-3-1, 1-3-1). Paul Léger made 33 saves in 60 minutes in goal for Southern Maine.
Senior Jonas Toupal opened the scoring for the Statesmen at the 5:10 mark of the first period. He banged home a rebound on the doorstep for his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Zach Sternbach and Lawson MacDougall were credited with assists on the goal. Sternbach’s initial shot was turned aside by Léger. Schneider gave Hobart a 2-0 lead at the 16:19 mark. He streaked down the left wing deked around the goalie and slid a backhanded shot across the goal line. Mark Benemerito and Zach Tyson were credited with assists on the goal. Thirty-two seconds later, MacDougall gave the Statesmen a 3-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season. He blasted a one-timer from the left faceoff circle past a diving Léger. Toupal and Tanner Shaw were credited with assists on the goal.
Hobart finished the first period with a 21-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Shaw added a goal of his own at 15:19 of the second period. His shot from the point beat Léger’s glove side, sneaking under the crossbar. MacDougall was credited with an assist on the goal.
Southern Maine ended Hobart’s shutout bid with 25 seconds remaining in the middle period. Tomaschek picked up a rebound in the slot and wristed it past Halstrom. Adam Withers and Ethan Bassile were credited with assists on the goal.
The Statesmen added a pair of shorthanded goals in the third period to secure the win. Sternbach’s second goal of the game came 67 seconds into the final period. He collected a clearing pass from Tyson, raced down the left wing and fired a shot off the crossbar and into the back of the net. Tyson scored a shorthanded goal of his own at the 14:29 mark of the period. He broke up a clearing pass in the offensive zone and flicked the shot past Léger and into the back of the net. Tyson’s first collegiate goal was unassisted. Schneider nearly completed his hat trick bid in the final 90 seconds of regulation. He skated down the right wing and blasted a shot off the right goal post. This time; however his shot was cleared away by a Southern Maine defender.
Hobart finished the game with a 39-28 edge in shots on goal. Neither team was able to score on the power play. The Statesmen were 0-for-4 with the extra skater while Southern Maine was 0-for-8 with the man advantage.
Hobart will be back at The Cooler tomorrow afternoon when they welcome New England College in for a NEHC matchup. The game with the Pilgrims is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
