Hobart College forward Aaron Maguyon scored 45 seconds into overtime to lift the fifth-ranked Statesmen past eighth-ranked Norwich 4-3 in a key New England Hockey Conference contest at The Cooler this evening. With the victory, the Statesmen are now 10-2-1 overall this season with a 6-0-1 record in conference play.
Maguyon collected a pass from Cooper Swift and skated through the neutral zone. He stopped in the right faceoff circle and ripped a shot over the glove hand of Drennen Atherton. It was Maguyon’s 11th goal of the season. The tally snapped Hobart’s six-game losing streak to the Cadets.
Luke Aquaro led the way for the Statesmen, recording a goal and an assist in the victory. In total, four different players scored for Hobart. Joe Halstrom started in goal and made 17 saves as he logged his fifth victory of the season.
Brett Ouderkirk (2a) and Noah Williams (1g, 1a) had two points each for Norwich (6-2-4, 3-2-3). Atherton started in goal and made 25 saves in just under 60 minutes of action.
The Statesmen opened the scoring 5:29 into the first period on Mark Benemerito’s third goal of the season. He skated into the high slot and wristed a shot into the upper left corner of the cage. Brenden Howell was credited with an assist on the goal, breaking up a clearing attempt along the boards. Less than a minute later, Hobart nearly doubled its lead, but Atherton made a pair of saves on shots by Zach Tyson.
The Cadets tied the game at the 11:35 mark of the second period. Callum Jones fired a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle, through traffic and across the goal line. His first collegiate goal was assisted by Isaac Chapman and Ouderkirk.
The Statesmen controlled play in the second period, outshooting Norwich 9-5. Aquaro gave Hobart a 2-1 lead at the 15:39 mark of the middle period. With the Statesmen killing off a penalty, he intercepted a pass at his own blue line, raced the length of the ice and snapped a shot over Atherton. It was Aquaro’s 10th goal of the season.
Just over nine minutes into the third period, Hobart extended its lead to 3-1. Jonah Alexander banged home a loose puck for his fourth goal of the season. Aquaro and Jackson Alexeev notched assists on the goal. Alexeev set up the play with a brilliant clearing pass to Alexander in the neutral zone. Aquaro, who carried the puck into the attacking zone, split a pair of defenders but had his initial shot stopped by Atherton. Alexander cleaned up the rebound, giving the Statesmen a two-goal lead.
Two minutes later, Norwich drew within one. Noah Williams redirected a Devon Becker shot for his fifth goal of the season. Ouderkirk also picked up an assist on the power-play goal. With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Norwich pulled their goalie in favor of the extra attacker, and the move paid off. Following an icing call, Clark Kerner blasted a shot past Halstrom for his ninth goal of the season. Noah Williams and Braedyn Aubin were credited with assists on the goal.
Hobart finished the game with a 29-20 edge in shots on goal. Norwich was 1-for-3 on the power play and Hobart was 0-for-2 with the extra skater.
The Statesmen will be back in action tomorrow, Jan. 8, when it welcomes New England College, which is receiving votes in the USCHO.com poll, to The Cooler. Faceoff is scheduled for 4PM.
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