GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College hockey team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second period and went on to down visiting Nazareth 5-1 in an ECAC West game played this afternoon in The Cooler. Sophomore Ben Gamache (Longlac, Ontario) led the Statesmen effort with three points on a goal and two assists.
Hobart is now 11-5-4 and 5-3-2 in conference play. The Statesmen snapped Nazareth’s four game win streak. The Golden Flyers fall to 6-13-1 and 2-7-1 in the ECAC West.
Junior Bronson Kovacs (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario) scored two goals and sophomore Bo Webster (Aurora, Ontario) chipped in two assists for Hobart. First-year Tim Keegan (Lexington, Mass.) posted a career-high 35 saves in his first career win in goal.
With 3:02 left in the opening period and on a Hobart power play, Kovacs put the Statesmen up 1-0 on a one-timer from the point off a dish from Webster. Michel also earned an assist on the play.
Hobart notched three straight goals to start the second period. Gamache capitalized on another power play at 6:56, tipping in a trickling rebound off a shot by Michel at the point. It was Gamache’s eighth goal this year. At 13:01, Kovacs produced his second goal of the game and sixth of the year. After a pass from junior Brad McBride (Lone Tree, Colo.), first-year Mitch Beyer (Clifton Park, N.Y.) skated in on the left wing, sending a cross-crease pass to Kovacs who buried his shot to make it 3-0. Olson made it 4-0 with 1:28 left in the second period with his second short-handed goal this year. Gamache pushed the short-handed forecheck getting the puck deep into the opposing zone and then feeding Olson who was sitting on the doorstop for an easy tap in. Olson leads the Statesmen with 11 goals and 21 points this year.
With 10 seconds left in the second period and a 5-on-3 advantage for the Golden Flyers, Scott Dawson scored top shelf off a faceoff win. Tom Seravalli was credited with the assist.
At 12:35, junior Terrence O’Neill (Kearny, N.J.) drilled a slap shot from the point for a power-play goal off a passes from Gamache and Webster.
Nazareth finished with a 36-34 edge in shots. Ed Zdolshek played the first 52:35 in goal for the Golden Flyers and made 28 saves. Joe Gladnick came in for the final 7:25 and made one stop. The Statesmen went 3-for-7 on the power play and Nazareth went 1-for-7.
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 8, when it hosts Elmira for another ECAC West game at 7 p.m.
