LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—The Hobart College hockey team won its opening game of 2015, topping Southern Maine 6-2 in the first game of the New Year's College Hockey Classic this afternoon at Herb Brooks Arena. The Statesmen improved to 7-4-0 overall, while the Huskies fall to 1-10-0.
 
Junior Bo Webster notched two goals for the Statesmen. Senior Bronson Kovacs added a goal and an assist, while sophomore Carl Belizario chipped in two assists. Sophomore goalie Tim Keegan, who was playing his first game of the season, picked up his first win of the year, finishing with 13 saves. The win marked the 400th victory for the Hobart College hockey program.
 
The Huskies got on a scoreboard early. Zach Dymock put Southern Maine up 1-0 just 3:49 in on a shot from the slot after a pass from Stephen Gallo.
 
However, the Statesmen came out strong in the second period, scoring four goals to take a 4-1 lead. Hobart found the back of the net on its first two shots of the period. Just 2:06 in, sophomore Nick Bingaman tied things up at 1-1 with a shot from right out in front off passes from classmate Bobby Sokol and Kovacs. Webster's tip in at the left post gave Hobart the lead 1:42 later. Senior Brad McBride and junior Ben Gamache earned assists on the play. At 7:32, senior Tommaso Traversa snuck a shot in behind Southern Maine's goalie Kyle Shapiro. After a pass from senior Robert Sovik, Traversa put a shot on goal that was saved by Shapiro, but the rebound bounced right back to Traversa, who buried his second attempt. Webster capitalized on a Hobart power play that came after one of the Huskies was called for a five-minute boarding penalty. Webster's goal came with 3:07 left in the middle period. Seniors Terrence O'Neill and Ryan Michel logged the assists.
 
Hobart struck first in the third period to take a 5-1 lead. Kovacs took advantage of a Statesmen power play, finding the back of the net after passes from Belizario and junior Brad Robbins at 3:25 into the period. Just under two minutes later, Gallo scored for the Huskies. Patrick Magliano earned the assist. With 4:25 remaining, first-year Jordan Haskell scored his first goal as a Statesman for the final. Belizario and sophomore Jon Neal set up the play.
 
Shapiro played 59:43 in goal and made 39 saves. The Statesmen finished with a 45-15 advantage in shots and went 3-for-7 on the power play. Hobart killed off Southern Maine's one power play attempt.
 
The New Year's College Hockey Classic continues tomorrow, Jan. 3. The Huskies will take on St. Michael's tomorrow at 4 p.m., and Statesmen will face Middlebury tomorrow night at 7 p.m.