The No. 6 Hobart College hockey team jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but No. 11 Babson battled back for a 3-3 overtime tie this afternoon in a non-league game played in The Cooler. The Statesmen are now 1-0-1, while the Beavers are 0-1-1 after opening weekend.
Senior Bo Webster (Aurora, Ontario) led Hobart with two assists, and junior Vincent Russo (Jackson, N.J.) added a goal and an assist. Junior Frank Oplinger (Sewickley, Pa.) matched his career-high with 45 saves in all 65 minutes for the Statesmen. Michael Phillips led Babson with a goal and an assist.
The Statesmen scored a goal in the first period and produced two more in the second to build a 3-0 lead. First junior Jonas Toupal (Vcelna, Czech Republic) took advantage of a five-on-three situation for Hobart, finding the back of the net after a pass from Webster with 4:09 left in the opening period. Russo notched another power-play goal for the Statesmen 10:17 into the second. Webster and sophomore Trevor Poirier (St. Albert, Alberta) were credited with the assists. With 2:08 left in the second, senior Bobby Sokol (Belle Vernon, Pa.) logged his third goal in two days. Sophomore Tanner Shaw (Toronto, Ontario) and Russo set up the play.
Babson came out strong in the third period, out-shooting Hobart 22-4. At 6:28 in, Ryan Gouveia posted his second goal of the weekend on a power play after passes from Rob Devaney and Phillips to put the Beavers on the board. Just over six minutes later, Phillips cut the deficit to one drilling his shot from the right circle into the top left corner of the goal. With 4:33 left in regulation, Tim Searles tied the game up at 3-3. Dan Casey and Paul Wagner registered the assists.
Neither team was able to find the game winner in the five minutes of overtime. The Beavers took four shots in the extra period, while Hobart recorded two.
The Statesmen went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Beavers were 1-for-7. Babson finished with a 48-33 advantage in shots. Matt Pompa started the game in goal for Babson and logged 24 saves in the first two periods. Bryan Botcher played the third period and overtime and stopped the six shots he faced.
The Statesmen are back in action on Friday, Nov. 4, when they travel to take on Stevenson in an ECAC West game at 7:30 p.m.
