GENEVA, N.Y.—The Babson men's ice hockey team scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 6:25 left in regulation to secure a 4-3 NEHC victory over the No. 9/11 Hobart hockey team tonight in The Cooler.
 
The Statesmen fall to 8-4-4 overall and 5-2-2 in the NEHC. The Beavers are now 8-5-2 and 6-2-1 in conference action. Nick Rossa led Babson with a goal and an assist. Bryan Botcher played all 60 minutes in goal for the Beavers are made 35 saves. Senior Vincent Russo scored twice for Hobart. Senior Ben Greiner added two assists. Sophomore Alexander Connal made 25 saves in 58:01 in goal for the Statesmen.
 
Babson jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Rosa scored first 8:05 in. Patrick Flynn and Ryan McDougall set up the play. Christian Faggas made it 2-0 with 2:59 left in the first. Matt Brazel and Tommy Munichiello earned the assists. Senior Andrew Silard had a chance to put Hobart on the board in the middle of the opening period, but his one-on-one chance with Botcher was saved, and he was able to stifle the bouncing rebound before Silard could take a second shot.
 
It was Hobart's turn to score two unanswered goals in the second period. Just 47 seconds in, Russo tipped in a blast by junior Jack Macnee from the blue line. Then just under three minutes later, sophomore Julien Denicourt logged a shorthanded tally. He sniped his shot from the left boards into the top left corner of the goal. It was his second goal this season. Greiner earned an assist on the play.
 
At 4:28 into the third, Russo gave Hobart its first lead of the game. His fourth goal of the season came on a power-play and off a rebound from shots by junior Cam Shaheen and Greiner. However, Babson stormed back tying the game up at 3-3 just under four minutes later. Bobby Hall had a shot blocked by Macnee, but the rebound bounced back to him and he placed his second shot attempt over the shoulder of Connal. Rosa was credited with an assist on the play. With 6:25 left in regulation, Ryan Gouveia netted what proved to be the game winner, sliding a low shot across the goal line. Cooper Norton earned the assist. Hobart pulled Connal with just over two minutes remaining for an extra skater, but wasn't able to tie up the game.
 
The Statesmen finished with a 38-29 advantage in shots. Hobart went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed off the Beavers' two power-play chances.
 
The Statesmen are back in action tomorrow, Jan. 13, when they host No. 7/10 UMass Boston for another NEHC game at 4 p.m. in The Cooler.