Box Score Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—The tenth-ranked Neumann men's hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and then hung on to defeat Hobart 5-3 in an ECAC West game played tonight at The Cooler. The Statesmen are now 2-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play.

The Knights improve to 2-0-0 and 1-0-0 in the ECAC West. The game featured a total of 30 penalties with 15 of them coming in the second period.

Junior Frank Salituro led Hobart with a goal and an assist. First-years Ryan Michel and Terrence O'Neill each scored for the Statesmen. Steve Gervais led Neumann with two goals and an assist. Jordan Zalba chipped in a goal and an assist.

Gervais struck first 14:15 into the first period. Zalba set up the play for the Knights. Then 1:14 later, Aaron Keaney took a pass from Chris Bournazos and put Neumann up by two.

The Statesmen scored first in the second period. Salituro scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season to put Hobart on the scoreboard at 9:21. However, Zalba was able to capitalize on a power-play opportunity for the Knights just 1:37 later to stretch Neumann's lead back to two. At 13:58, Michel took advantage of a Hobart power play to put the Statesmen back within one. Senior Greg Ciciola and Salituro earned the assists.

Brent Tamane put Neumann up 4-2 at 6:34 in the final period. Scott Farrell and William Lacasse were credited with the assists. At 15:42, while the Knights were on a power play, O'Neill seized a scoring opportunity. He scored a shorthanded goal to make it 4-3. It was his first goal as a Statesman. First-year Peter Ryan and sophomore Tommy Fiorentino logged the assists.

The Knights would not allow Hobart to get any closer. At 16:30, Gervais struck again. This time he took advantage of a power play after collecting a pass from Mike Rey.

Junior Nick Broadwater finished with 29 saves in 60 minutes for the Statesmen. Ross MacKinnon stopped 36 shots in just over 58 minutes for Neumann. The Statesmen were 1-for-8 on the power play, while the Knights went 3-for-11. Hobart held a 39-34 edge in shots.

The Statesmen will host No. 7 Utica tomorrow, Nov. 12 for another ECAC West contest beginning at 7 p.m.