January 18 , 2005

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College first-year forward Shawn Houde (Manchester, N.H.) tallied a goal and two assists to lead the Statesmen to a 4-2 win over visiting Buffalo State in non-conference hockey action this evening. Hobart has won each of the past seven meetings with the Bengals, including both contests this season.

After controlling much of the play in the opening minutes of a first period that featured two Statesmen power-play opportunities and 13 shots, junior forward Brian Keane (Sherborn, Mass.) knocked in a rebound from a Mike Manos (North Andover, Mass.) shot at the 9:53 mark to put Hobart up 1-0.

Less than two minutes later, Houde doubled the Statesmen’s lead with a perfectly placed shot over the right shoulder of Buffalo State goaltender Sean Sheehan (Mt. Laurel, N.J.). First-year Brian Cibelli (Liverpool, N.Y.) earned his first career assist on the goal.

Down 2-0 after the first stanza, the Bengals capitalized on an early power-play opportunity when leading scorer Sean Burke (Barrie, Ontario) redirected a Sean O’Connell (Buffalo, N.Y.) shot to cut the lead to 2-1, just 2:31 into the period.

Hobart (9-4-2) first-year Edward Brzek (Duxbury, Mass.) made it a two-goal game again 12 minutes later, with his first career goal and what proved to be the game-winner off of assists from classmates Cibelli and Houde.

Buffalo State opened the third period much like the second, as Mike DeMarco’s (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) shot into the right corner of the net pulled the Bengals to within one again with 16:31 left in regulation.

Junior winger Edward Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) iced the victory though for the Statesmen less than seven minutes later with his team-best seventh goal of the season. Senior defenseman Stephen Mitacek (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Houde provided the assists on the score.

Outshooting the Bengals 51-20 for the game, the Statesmen went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Buffalo State was 1-for-3.

Between the pipes Sheehan was outstanding for the Bengals, stopping 47 shots and 13 on power-play opportunities. Meanwhile, first-year Trevor Pieri (Needham, Mass.) grabbed the victory for Hobart in his first career start with 18 stops.

The 14th-ranked Statesmen resume ECAC West conference action on Jan. 22, hosting undefeated and top-ranked Manhattanville at 4 p.m., at the Geneva Recreation Complex.