No. 1 Hobart turned a tied game into its fifth consecutive victory Friday, scoring three times in the third period to beat Skidmore 4-1 at Saratoga Springs City Rink.
Tamas Toth scored twice, Arvega Hovsepyan supplied three assists and Connor Shibley made 29 saves as the Statesmen improved to 5-0-0 overall and won their SUNYAC opener, according to HWS Athletics. Christian Kocsis added two assists.
Battaini puts Hobart ahead
First-year forward Chris Battaini broke the 1-1 tie early in the third period, taking a pass in the slot and beating Skidmore goaltender Tommy Aitken for his first collegiate goal. Frantisek Albrecht and Luke Calabria assisted.
Bauer Morrissey followed with a power-play goal at 4:23, completing a two-goal burst within two minutes. The senior’s first goal of the season gave Hobart a 3-1 lead, with assists from Hovsepyan and Conor Lally.
Lally hit a post at 9:22 before Toth finished the scoring with an empty-net goal in the final minute. Kocsis and Hovsepyan assisted on Toth’s fifth goal of the season.
Toth answers Skidmore’s opening goal
Skidmore took the lead at 11:17 of the first period when Mitchell Floccare scored on the power play. His shot from the point traveled through traffic and past Shibley for his first goal of the season. Dylan Shane and Bryan Tang assisted.
Aitken stopped all 11 Hobart shots in the opening period. His early saves included a chance by Hovsepyan and a glove stop on Adam Mendelson, helping the Thoroughbreds carry their one-goal advantage into intermission.
Shibley kept Hobart within reach during Skidmore’s push to start the second period, making five saves in the first five minutes. The Statesmen then generated chances through Lally and Kocsis before Toth tied the game shortly before the midpoint of regulation.
Kocsis and Hovsepyan set up the equalizer, with Toth finishing a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. Tommy McDonough later struck a post at 13:29, and Aitken stopped Lally’s rebound attempt to keep the score even through two periods.
Statesmen visit Plattsburgh next
Skidmore finished with a 30-27 advantage in shots, while Aitken recorded 23 saves. Hobart converted one of two power plays and killed four of Skidmore’s five opportunities. The Statesmen took five penalties totaling 10 minutes; the Thoroughbreds had two penalties for four minutes.
Skidmore fell to 1-1-0 overall and 0-1-0 in SUNYAC play. Hobart continues its road trip Saturday, Nov. 14, at Plattsburgh State, with faceoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
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