Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior Frank Salituro scored two goals, but the No. 2/3 Statesmen fell 5-3 to No. 6/8 Utica in an ECAC West contest played tonight at The Cooler.

The Statesmen (14-2-2, 6-1-1) suffered just their second loss of the season and their first loss in conference play. The Pioneers improved to 14-3-0 and 5-2-0 in the ECAC West.

Five different players scored for Utica. The Pioneers' goalie Nick Therrien played all 60 minutes and made 39 saves. Hobart finished with a 42-23 advantage in shots. Sophomore Ryan Michel chipped in two assists for the Statesmen. Senior goalie Nick Broadwater played 58:53 in goal for Hobart and stopped 18 shots.

Just 3:22 in, Ridge Garbutt put Utica on the board. His seventh goal of the year came off an assist from Donny Olivieri. Then at 14:55 the Pioneers took advantage of a power play to make it 2-0. Trever Hertz broke through for an unassisted tally. With just under two minutes left in the first, Salituro got the Statesmen on the scoreboard. While on a power play, Michel put a shot on goal. The rebound bounced out to sophomore Bronson Kovacs who sent in a blast from the blue line, which Salituro tipped in for his 12th goal this year. The Pioneers netted their third goal with 43 seconds left in the first. Peter LaFosse lifted in a shot from the left post after passes from Hertz and Adam Graff.

Hobart out-shot Utica 13-10 in the scoreless second period. The Statesmen were just inches away from scoring on multiple occasions in the period. While on a power play with just over nine minutes on the clock, Kovacs blasted a shot the banged off the right post. With just over seven minutes left in the period, first-year Bo Webster almost pushed the puck across the goal line, but Therrien laid out just in time to prevent the goal.

Just over four minutes into the final period, Salituro found the back of the net for the second time. Michel and first-year Mac Olson earned the assists. However, the Pioneers answered just 45 seconds later. Jon Gaffney logged the goal, and Garbutt picked up the assist. At 12:05 in the final period, sophomore Robert Sovik was able to get a shot past Therrein to get Hobart within one at 4-3. It was his third goal this season. Sophomore Brad McBride and first-year Ben Gamache were credited with the assists. Once again, Utica scored 1:21 later putting a damper on the Statesmen's hopes of a comeback. This time Morton fired home a shot for the Pioneers after a pass from Mike Baird.

The Statesmen came close to scoring, hitting the post yet another time in the final period. At 14:16 in the third, one of the Pioneers was called for a 5-minute major penalty. Despite pulling Broadwater for the final 1:07 for another extra skater, the Statesmen couldn't capitalize.

Hobart finished 2-for-9 on the power play, while Utica was 1-for-6.

The Statesmen will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 25 when they host Elmira in another ECAC West contest at 7 p.m. in The Cooler.