The No. 6/8 Hobart College hockey played through overtime to a 3-3 draw with Babson College in an NEHC game played this afternoon in Babson Park, Mass. The Statesmen are now 4-2-2 overall and 3-1-2 in conference play.
The Beavers are 4-2-1 overall and 4-1-1 in the NEHC. It was Hobart’s fourth overtime game this season. The Statesmen are 1-1-2 in games that go to overtime. Sophomore Zach Sternbach and junior Jonas Touapl led Hobart with a goal and an assist. Sophomore Julien Denicourt also scored for the Statesmen. Senior Frank Oplinger made a season-high 29 saves in the tie. He is now 2-1-1 in goal this season.
Rob Devaney produced a goal and an assist for Babson. Charlie Ackerman and Matt Michalke added goals for the Beavers. Matt Pompa stopped 30 shots in all 65 minutes in goal.
Denicourt scored his first goal of the season to give Hobart a 1-0 advantage 6:23 into the first period. Junior Tanner Shaw and Sternbach were credited with the assists. At 10:12 into the second period, Toupal stretched the Statesmen lead to 2-0 with his fifth goal this year. His power-play tally came off an assist from junior Cam Shaheen.
Ackerman broke through for Babson with 2:54 left in the middle period. Sternbach responded for Hobart, making it 3-1 just five seconds later. It was his fourth goal this year. Toupal and sophomore Lawson MacDougall earned the assists.
The Beavers battled back with two third period goals to send the game into overtime. Devaney notched a power-play goal 5:23 into the third off an assist from Joe DePietto. With 6:09 left in regulation, Michalke netted the game-tying goal. Matt Holtshouser and Devaney were credited with the assists. Neither team could find the game winner in the extra five minutes.
The Statesmen finished with a 33-32 edge in shots. Hobart went 1-for-3 on the power play and the Beavers finished 1-for-2.
The Statesmen are back in action on Friday Dec. 1, when they play an NEHC game at Skidmore at 7 p.m., before hosting the Thoroughbreds for a conference game on Saturday, Dec. 2 in The Cooler at 7 p.m.
