February 13, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College junior goaltender Adam Lavelle (Chelmsford, Mass.) turned in a spectacular performance, making 36 saves to help the Statesmen upset seventh-ranked Manhattanville 4-3 this evening in ECAC West hockey action at the Geneva Recreation Complex. The victory clinched a playoff spot and keeps the Statesmen in the hunt for the regular season league crown.

“These last three games have been excellent hockey for us,” Head Coach Mark Taylor said. “The guys are playing with a lot of poise and playing up to their abilities. We have done very little Xs and Os as coaches. Everything else has come from team leadership.”

Riding a five-game win streak coming into the game, the Valiants (14-3-1, 5-1-1 ECAC West) wasted little time getting on the board as sophomore Tyler Resch (Medicine Hat, Alberta) was able to capitalize on a Hobart giveaway in front of the net.

The Statesmen (11-7-5, 6-2-1 ECAC West) withstood Manhattanville’s pressure over the next 10 minutes and got the equalizer when junior forward Craig Levey (Mississauga, Ontario) finished a perfect centering pass from sophomore Will Brame (West Hartford, Conn.).

Just over a minute into the second stanza, first-year Marc Borden (Glenview, Ill.) collected the rebound from his own shot and found sophomore Edward Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) for the 2-1 lead, a lead the Statesmen would never relinquish. Brame doubled the lead six minutes later with a perfect wrist shot into the right corner off a pass from sophomore Greg Gallagher (Framingham, Mass.) for his first short handed goal of the year.

The Valiants answered 43 seconds later with a power-play score from first-year Jordan Menzies (Grand Prairie, Alberta). The Statesmen offense however, was not finished for the night. With 2:22 left to play in the second period, Borden scored what proved to be the game-winner. He found the net after a flurry of shots were turned away by goaltender Andrew Gallant (Summerside, Prince Edward Island). The goal was his eighth of the season and third game-winner.

Sporting a 4-2 lead after the final intermission, Hobart kept Manhattanville off the board with solid blue line defense until the 18:47 mark when the Valiants netted an extra man goal. That would be all the Statesmen defense would allow, holding strong in the final minute of play.

Manhattanville held the edge in shots 39-32, while both teams notched a power-play goal. Gallant and sophomore Jay Chrapala (Hamilton, Ontario) combined for 28 saves on the game.

Unbeaten in their previous eight home contests, Hobart will look to make nine games when it hosts Neumann College on Feb. 14, at 4 p.m.