GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College hockey team used a three-goal third period to come from behind and defeat Utica College 4-2 in an ECAC West game played in The Cooler tonight. The Statesmen have now won nine straight, and extended their unbeaten streak to 12 games.
 
Hobart improves to 15-2-2 and 9-1-0 in ECAC West play. The Pioneers fall to 9-8-3 and 3-5-2 in conference. Junior Bobby Sokol led the Statesmen with a goal and an assist. Sophomore goaltender Frank Oplinger played all 60 minutes and finished with 35 saves.
 
Utica jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period. Just 22 seconds into the game, Vinny Stefan carried the puck into the zone and tucked it just inside the right post to give the Pioneers the early 1-0 advantage. Anthony McVeigh made it 2-0 with a short-handed goal off an assist from Easton Powers. The Pioneers had chances to make it 3-0, but the Statesmen killed off a 5-on-3 late in the period.
 
The middle period saw 13 penalties between the two teams. The lone goal of the second came with 6:31 on the clock, and cut the Hobart deficit to one. This time it was the Statesmen's turn for a short-handed tally. Hobart killed a 5-on-3 and just as Sokol was exiting the penalty box he took a pass from junior Carl Belizario for a one-on-one with the goalie. Sokol found the back of the net for his sixth goal of the season. First-year Matt Pizzo also earned an assist on the play.
 
Just 2:49 into the third period, senior Mac Olson tied the game up at 3-3 with his 12th goal of the year. First-year Cam Shaheen battled for the puck at the blue line and passed to sophomore Jordan Haskell who found Olson out in front. Just over two minutes later, senior Ben Gamache registered what proved to be the game winner. He tallied his seventh of the year after passes from sophomore Vincent Russo and junior Jon Neal. With 4:23 left in the third, sophomore Tyler Wolf netted an insurance goal. His eighth of the season came off assists from junior Nick Bingaman and Sokol.
 
With 4:05 remaining, Utica pulled its goalie for an extra skater, while also on the power play, but the Statesmen held off the Pioneers for the remainder. Michael Fredrick finished with 27 saves in 55:55 in goal for Utica. Neither team was able to capitalize on a power play. The Pioneers went 0-for-8, and Hobart finished 0-for-5. Utica finished with a 37-31 advantage in shots.
 
The Statesmen will be back in action next weekend, when they travel to take on Neumann in ECAC West games on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m.