MASSENA, N.Y.–Seventh-ranked Hobart College (8-0-2) scored two second
period goals to break a 1-1 tie and down the SUNY Potsdam men痴 hockey
team (3-5) 3-1 at Massena Arena on Sunday afternoon. Senior forward Bobby
Hannah (Burbank, Calif./Portland) had three assists to lead the Statesmen
and freshman forward Matt Thompson (Anchorage, Alaska/Kenai River Brown
Bears) scored for the Bears.
Potsdam built early momentum, putting four shots on Hobart senior goalie
Marty Ausserhofer (Brunico, Italy/New Jersey Rockets) before the Statesmen
got their first. However, it was the Statesmen that drew first blood at
9:25 of the opening period. Sophomore defenseman Ryan Michel (Camillus,
N.Y./Northwood School) wristed a shot from the point that floated past
screened Potsdam junior goalie Shane Talarico (Greensburg, Pa./Elmira
College) and into the upper right corner of the net. Hannah and senior
forward Frank Salituro (Vaughan, Ontario/St. Michael痴) recorded the
assists. The Bears answered less than four minutes later as Thompson
picked up a loose puck in front of Hobart痴 net and roofed it over
Ausserhofer. Freshman forward Billy Pascalli (Deer Park, N.Y./New York
Bobcats) assisted on the goal. The Statesmen got the momentum back as they
went on the power play with 1:09 left in the period. Hobart pelted
Talarico with the last five shots of the stanza, but went into the break
still tied at 1-1.
The Bears managed to kill the penalty after two more Statesmen shots to
start the second 20 minutes, but the pressure continued. At 1:58,
first-year forward Mac Olson (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Des Moines) picked up a
pass in front of Potsdam痴 goal and beat Talarico five-hole for the
eventual game-winner. Hanna and senior defenseman Harry Radovich (Rumson,
N.J./Westminster) each registered assists on the play. Hobart slowed down
Potsdam痴 offense for much of the rest of the contest and added an
insurance marker on the man advantage at 8:17. Michel fired a shot from
the right point and Salituro tipped it past Talarico to close the scoring
in the contest. Hannah notched the second assist.
Hobart never relinquished control of the contest in the third period,
maintaining possession of the puck and outshooting the Bears 15-9. With 57
seconds remaining, Talarico was pulled for an extra attacker, but Potsdam
was unable to draw any closer.
Talarico finished with 35 saves in his first collegiate start. Ausserhofer
finished with 33 saves to earn the victory. The Statesmen went 1-2 on the
power play, while the Bears were 0-1.
Potsdam is back in action next weekend as they head to Central New York to
face top-ranked Oswego at 7 p.m. on Friday and Cortland at the same time
on Saturday.
