The sixth-ranked Hobart College hockey team scored two goals in each period as it cruised to a 6-3 victory over Johnson & Wales in a New England Hockey Conference contest at the New England Sports Village Friday. The Statesmen are now 14-4-1 overall this season and 9-2-1 in conference play.
Austin Mourar and Aaron Maguyon finished the game with two goals each. Christian Duvall and Brenden Howell added a pair of assists in the victory. Joe Halstrom started in goal and made 19 saves in 60 minutes of work.
Five different players recorded a point for the Wildcats (4-16-0, 2-11-0). Jaxon Friedman played all 60 minutes in the Johnson & Wales goal and made a season-high 46 saves.
Mourar opened the scoring at the 7:05 mark of the first period. He fired a shot through traffic past Friedman for his fourth goal of the season. Brenden Howell and Wil Crane notched assists on the goal. The Wildcats tied the game two minutes later. Hayden Haldane flipped a wrist shot from the high slot past Halstrom. The goal was Haldane’s first of the season. Hobart regained a one-goal lead at the 14:51 mark of the opening period. Jake Gresh one-timed a shot across the goal line. Gresh’s second goal of the season was assisted by Duvall and Mateo Albinati.
Hobart extended the lead to 3-1 at the 2:44 mark of the second period. Maguyon picked up a rebound in front of the cage and slipped a shot past Friedman. His 13th goal of the season was assisted by Howell and Jared Patterson. Just over four minutes later, the Wildcats cut into the lead when Declan Dennehy beat Halstrom. His fifth goal of the season was assisted by Conner Lindsoe. Moura gave Hobart a 4-2 lead headed into intermission when he blasted a slapshot past Friedman. Duvall and Matthew Perryman were awarded assists on Mourar’s fifth goal of the season.
Dan Sliney and Maguyon put the game out of reach with goals 32 seconds apart midway through the third period. Sliney banged home a rebound from the low slot for his sixth goal of the season. It was assisted by Mark Benemerito and Kevin Lassman. At the 10:33 mark of the period, Aaron Maguyon wristed a shot from the right faceoff circle past Friedman for his team-leading 14th goal of the season. Blake Coffey and Aaron Maguoyn were awarded assists on the goal. Oliver Rooth wrapped up the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 14:10 mark of the final period.
Hobart finished the game with a 52-22 edge in shots on goal. Johnson and Wales was 1-for-2 on the power play and the Statesmen were 0-for-1 with the man advantage.
Hobart will be back in action on Sunday, Jan. 30, when it takes on UMass Boston at The Edward T. Barry Ice Rink. The game was postponed from Saturday due to Winter Storm Kenan, which is forecast to hit the Boston area with heavy snow tomorrow. Faceoff on Sunday is set for 2 p.m.
