Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The seventh-ranked Hobart College hockey team was upset by visiting ECAC West foe Utica College 5-3 tonight at The Cooler. The Statesmen fall to 15-6-1 overall and 5-6-1 in league action, while the Pioneers improve to 13-8-1 on the season and 6-5-1 in the ECAC West.

Utica got on the board first, as Nick Kulas (Parma, Mich.) scored 3 minutes, 31 seconds into the contest.

Hobart answered with two goals to end the period. First-year Matthew Wallace (Skaneateles, N.Y.) notched his 11th goal of the year at 14:55, set up by junior Michael Steiner (Shaker Heights, Ohio) and first-year Patrick Moriarty (Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.), while sophomore Aleksey Koval (Kiev, Ukraine) tallied his fifth of the season on a power play at 18:48. Junior Bryant Harris (Plainfield, N.H.) and first-year Kyle Whitaker (Fort Wayne, Ind.) recorded the helpers. The Statesmen held a 2-1 lead at the break.

Just over six minutes into the second stanza, sophomore Nick DeCroo (Sarver, Pa.) put the hosts up 3-1. Classmate Jordan Zitoun (Irving, Texas) and junior Andrew Brennan (Milford, Mass.) recorded the assists.

The Pioneers started their comeback with a Dave Burkholder (Buffalo, N.Y.) power-play tally at 10:58 in the second period. Less than four minutes later, Vinny Rinaldi (Norwood, N.Y.) tied the game at 3-all on a shorthanded goal, assisted by Joe Watson (St. Louis, Mo.) and Mike Lane (West Chester, Pa.). The teams took the tie into the final intermission.

Lane went on to net the unassisted, game-winning goal midway through the third period. Bryce Dale (Fresno, Calif.) scored on Hobart’s empty goal with 15 second remaining to seal the victory.

Hobart outshot Utica 43-22, while both teams were 1-for-5 on power play opportunities.

Junior Hobart goalie Keith Longo (Hopedale, Mass.) registered 17 saves, including a penalty shot, while Adam Dekker (Muskegon, Mich.) collected 40 saves and the win.

The teams will meet again tomorrow, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. at The Cooler.