January 10, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College took a 2-0 lead in the first period but could not hang on, tying visiting Cortland State 3-3 in non-conference hockey action this evening at the Geneva Recreation Complex.

It didn’t take long for Hobart (5-4-4) to jump ahead as junior Craig Levey (Missassauga, Ontario) fed sophomore center Will Brame (West Hartford, Conn.) a pass from behind the net for a 1-0 lead. Levey has scored at least one point in 10 of the last 11 games, with seven of them being multiple point performances. First-year Aaron Laycock (Barrie, Ontario) made it a 2-0 contest at the 16:44 mark, tallying his first career goal.

Holding a 2-0 edge at intermission, the Red Dragons (8-6-1) found a way to score, getting on the board twice in the second period to tie the game. The first goal came just 3:19 into the period when junior Kevin Watters (Pittsford, N.Y.) collected a pass from Jason Perry (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) and made a nice move to beat Hobart goalie Adam Lavelle (Chelmsford, Mass.). Nearly 15 minutes later Cortland junior Nate Gagnon (Wilton, N.Y.) tied the game on a power-play goal.

The Red Dragons grabbed the lead for the first time all evening 5:35 into the third session, getting a goal from Jason Wilson (Johnston, R.I.). Three minutes later sophomore forward Edward Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) made it 3-3 on a spectacular shot over the shoulder of Cortland netminder Shawn Gray (Slingerlands, N.Y.) from the right wing.

The Statesmen got one final chance to win the game in regulation when the Red Dragons were whistled for a penalty with 50 seconds remaining, but were unable to find the net. All three of Hobart’s shots in the extra stanza were turned away as the Statesmen and Red Dragons played to a 3-3 tie.

Lavelle stopped 19 shots on the evening for Hobart, while Gray pulled in 28 saves for Cortland.

The Statesmen return to action again on Jan. 13, hosting Geneseo at the Geneva Recreation Complex at 3 p.m.