February 25, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College junior goaltender Adam Lavelle (Chelmsford, Mass.) and first-year Jonathan Swift (Andover, Mass.) were named the ECAC West Hockey Co-Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively, after helping the Statesmen to their first ever ECAC West title. This is the third straight week the league has honored Lavelle—he was awarded Goaltender of the Week honors the past two times—and the second consecutive time Swift has collected the weekly award.

Lavelle continued his stellar play in Hobart’s 5-4 victory over the 10th-ranked Tigers, stopping 36 shots and holding the fourth-ranked power play team in the nation scoreless in its five extra man opportunities. During the Statesmen’s current five-game win streak, Lavelle has racked up 142 saves on 154 shots for a .922 save percentage and a 2.40 goals against average.

For the year, Hobart’s all-time saves and wins leader is sporting an .881 save percentage and a 3.58 goals against average.

At the other end of the ice Swift did his job, scoring the game-tying and game-winning goals to lead the Statesmen to their first win over RIT in 12 years. Trailing by a goal late in the third period, Swift knocked in a rebound to tie the game at four with 4:51 left to play. Two minutes later sophomore Edward Poirier (Methuen, Mass.) found the rookie winger wide open in front of the net for a power-play goal and the game-winner.

Swift has led the scoring charge during the win streak, tallying four goals, including two game-winners, as well as two assists. He is fourth on the team in points and tops among all first-years with eight goals and nine assists.

Hobart, which is ranked 14th in the latest US College Hockey Online poll, will host the ECAC West Tournament at the Geneva Recreation Complex on March 5-6. Second-seeded RIT and third-seed Manhattanville will face off first on March 5, at 3 p.m., while the Statesmen will battle with Utica at 7:30 p.m. The winners will advance to the championship game on March 6, at 7:30 p.m.