Box Score
Hobart 3, Utica 2 - ECAC Men's West Conference Final

UTICA, NY (November 9, 2013) – Nationally-ranked No. 9/9 Hobart College scored as time expired in regulation to top host and nationally-ranked No. 3/5 Utica College, 3-2, in a key ECAC Men's West Conference contest at the Utica Memorial Auditorium Saturday night. The evenly matched contest ended when Hobart earned a face-off in its own end with seven seconds left on the game clock - the Statesmen won the face-off - and put a shot on net that was saved by UC goalie Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)), but Hobart junior forward Robert Sovik charged the net and forced home the game-winning rebound as the game clock expired to hand the Pioneers their first loss of the young season.

UC's record moved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the ECAC West, while Hobart rebounded from a 4-4 tie at Nazareth College last night, and improved to 2-0-2 on the year (all conference games).

Sovik finished the night with two goals, while Tommy Fiorentino added two assists for the Statesmen.

UC's Trever Hertz (Jaffray, British Columbia/Quesnel Millionaires (BCHL)) helped the Pioneers take a 1-0 lead 5:18 into the first period when he notched his second goal of the season off an assist from freshman forward Easton Powers (South Lyon, MI/Port Huron (NAHL)). UC earned a 13-8 shot advantage in the first period and held a 1-0 lead at the intermission.

Hobart knotted the score at 1-1 in the second period when Mac Olsen netted his second of the year at 7:37, off assists from Peter Ryan and Bobby Sokol. The Pioneers were able to break the 1-1 tie at the 15:19 mark of the second when freshman Michail Bushinski ripped his first collegiate goal past Hobart goalie Lino Chimienti on a power-play, much to the delight of the UC faithful at the Aud. Seniors Adam Graff (Bear, DE/Syracuse Stars (EJHL)) and Mike Slowikowski (Ewing, NJ/N.J. Hitmen (EJHL)) tallied assists on the Pioneers' second and final goal.

With 2:36 to go in the second period Sovik punched in his first of the night and second of the season to send the contest into the third period tied up at 2-2.

UC outshot the visitors 12-5 in the final frame, but all it took was the one rebound shot by Sovik as time expired to give the Statesmen the 3-2 victory.

Chimienti stopped 32 shots in net as the Statesmen were outshot 34-28 on the afternoon. UC's Nick Therrien (Rochester, NH/NY Apple Core (EJHL)) stopped 25 shots on the evening. Utica went 1-for-4 on the power-play on the afternoon, while Hobart went 0-for-3 with a one-man advantage.

The Pioneers wrapped up their three game home stand with a 2-1 record at the Aud and they will now hit the road for four straight contests, beginning with a trip to Manhattanville next Friday where they will take on the Valiants at 7 p.m.