The sixth-ranked Hobart College hockey team was edged by eighth-ranked Elmira 5-4 in OT in a New England Hockey Conference contest at The Cooler Saturday evening. The Statesmen are now 13-4-1 overall this season with an 8-2-1 record in conference play.
With the game tied at the end of regulation, both teams earned a point in the NEHC standings. Elmira (13-4-1, 7-3-1) earned the extra point thanks to Shawn Kennedy’s game-winning goal with 14 seconds remaining on the clock in the extra session. He snapped a one-timer from the left faceoff circle past Liam Lascelle for his 14th goal of the season. Daniel Dimon and Nicholas Domitrovic were credited with assists on the overtime tally.
Mark Benemerito led the way for the Statesmen, recording a goal and an assist. In total, nine Statesmen recorded a point. Lascelle played just over 64 minutes in goal and made 36 saves.
Kennedy scored twice for the Soaring Eagles. He was one of 11 Elmira skaters to record a point. Chris Janzen started in goal and made 36 saves in the victory.
A tight contest, fitting of the top two teams in the conference, the game was deadlocked at 2-2 after 20 minutes of play. Bailey Krawczyk opened the scoring at the 4:44 mark of the opening period. He intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and instantly turned defense into offense. He skated across the blue line and snapped a shot past Lascelle for his eighth goal of the season. Hobart nearly tied the game at the 11:40 mark of the period, but Jonah Alexander’s shot ricocheted off of the goal post. Two minutes later, the Statesmen did find the equalizer. With the teams playing four-on-four, Matthew Iasenza raced down the ice and wristed a shot past Janzen for his fifth goal of the season. Austin Mourar notched an assist on the goal. One minute later, Elmira reclaimed the lead off of a power-play goal from Amedeo Mastrangelli. His shot from the right faceoff circle hit both goalposts and spun into the net. Mastrangelli’s second goal of the season was assisted by Janis Vizbellis. The Statesmen struck back at the 17:25 mark of the opening period. Artem Buzoverya tucked a wrap-around shot inside the right goalpost for his fifth goal of the season. Shane Shell notched the assist on the goal passing the puck to Buzoverya in the neutral zone before skating off the ice on a line change.
Both teams had 14 shots in the second period, but Elmira scored twice to take a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes. At the midway point of the frame, Kennedy pocketed his first goal of the game. He fired a shot from the point through traffic for his 13th tally of the season. Jordan Gonzalez and Chance Gorman were credited with assists on the goal. Four minutes later, Nick Grinvalds floated a shot over Lascelle’s glove hand for his second goal of the season. Shane Haviland and Mary Kapoian had assists on the goal.
The Statesmen outshot Elmira 12-9 in the third period. Mark Benemerito made it a one-goal game with his fourth goal of the season. Zach Tyson and Reid Lindsay were credited with assists on the goal. Benemerito one-timed a shot from the low slot past Janzen. It was Hobart’s first power-play goal in five games and snapped a 0-for-27 drought on the man advantage during that stretch. Matthieu Wuth’s first collegiate goal tied the game at the 15:19 mark of the third period. Off of a scramble in front of the goal, he poked a loose puck across the goal line. Luke Aquaro and Mark Benemerito notched assists on the goal.
PA Martineau nearly won the game at the 4:31 mark of the extra period. His shot squeaked between Janzen’s legs but was swiped off the goal line by a defender at the last second.
Elmira finished the game with a 41-40 edge in shots on goal. The Soaring Eagles were 2-for-5 on the power play and Hobart was 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
The Statesmen will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 28, when it takes on Johnson & Wales. Faceoff in Providence, R.I. is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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