MIDDLEBURY, Vt.-The 15th-ranked Hobart College hockey team defeated Middlebury 3-0 in the title game of the 2018 Middlebury Holiday Classic at Kenyon Arena this afternoon. With the win, the Statesmen improve to 9-4-0 on the season.
Junior Lawson MacDougall (1g, 1a) and sophomore Mike Faulkner (1g, 1a) led the way for Hobart with two points each. Junior Alexander Connal stopped all 15 shots he faced as he earned his first shutout of the season. Adam Wisco started in goal for the Panthers (5-4-1) and made 28 saves.
Following today’s championship game, junior Julien Denicourt was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He had a pair of assists in Hobart’s semifinal victory over the University of New England on Saturday. Connal and MacDougal were named to the all-tournament team.
Hobart opened the scoring at the 6:21 mark of the first period when MacDougall pocketed his sixth goal of the season. With the Statesmen on the power play, MacDougall wristed a shot from the right circle over the shoulder of Wisco. Junior Zach Sternbach and Faulkner were credited with assists on the goal. Hobart doubled its lead just under five minutes later. Junior Will Harrison one-timed a centering pass from sophomore Andrew Longo past Wisco. First-year Dan Sliney was also credited with an assist on the goal. It was Harrison’s fourth goal of the season.
Middlebury’s best chance came with three minutes remaining in the first period. Bret Pastor dumped the puck in from the right side ricocheting off the glass toward the Hobart net. Connal slid back into the crease and made a toe save.
Neither team found the back of the net in the second period. Hobart had the best scoring opportunity of the frame when, first-year Zach Tyson fired a shot off the right goal post during a penalty kill.
Faulkner added an insurance goal for the Statesmen at the 8:04 mark of the third period. He fired a low shot from the slot past Wisco. Faulkner’s second goal of the season was assisted by MacDougall and senior Jonas Toupal.
Hobart finished the game with a 31-15 edge in shots on goal. The Statesmen were 1-for-3 with the man advantage while Middlebury was 0-for-4 with the extra skater.
The Statesmen will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 4, when they welcome Potsdam to Geneva. N.Y. Faceoff at The Cooler is scheduled for 7 p.m.
