GENEVA, N.Y.-The ninth-ranked Hobart College hockey team was bested by Norwich 4-2 in a New England Hockey Conference contest at The Cooler this evening. The Statesmen drop to 11-5-0 overall and 5-4-0 in the NEHC.
 
First-year Chase Bell and sophomore TJ Schultz scored for Hobart. Junior Alexander Connal made 19 saves in just under 58 minutes in goal. Norwich (8-4-2, 5-4-0) had four players record multi-point games led by Coby Downs' two goals. Brett Ouderkirk, Maxime Borduas and Felix Brassard had two assists each. Tom Aubrun made 34 saves in the winning effort.
 
Neither team found the back of the net in the opening 20 minutes. The Statesmen emerged from the first period with a 12-9 edge in shots on goal.
 
Hobart had the game's first major scoring chance three minutes into the second period. First-year PA Martineau broke up a clearing pass, stepped into the slot and wristed a shot on goal. Aubrun made an impressive glove save to keep the game tied.
 
The Cadets broke the deadlock just past the seven minute mark of the period when Gabriel Chicoine fired a shot from the left faceoff circle past Connal. Ouderkirk and Brassard were credited with assists on the power-play goal. Eighty-six seconds later, Downs scored his first goal of the game. He fired a shot from the point through traffic and into the net. Jake Erickson and Brassard were credited with assists on the power-play goal. Downs tallied what would prove to be the game-winning goal at 15:56 of the middle period. He picked up his own rebound in the slot and slipped it over the goal line. Ouderkirk and Borduas were credited with assists on Norwich's third power-play goal of the game.
 
Bell started Hobart's comeback attempt at the 18 minute mark of the second period. He collected a pass from sophomore Andrew Longo in the right faceoff circle and wristed a shot past Aubrun. Sophomore Mark Benemerito was also credited with an assist on Bell's second goal of the season.
 
Schultz made it a one-goal game 31 seconds into the third period. He picked up a loose puck in the slot and flipped it over Aubrun. The unassisted goal was his first of the season.
 
Jordan Hall iced the game for Norwich just past the midpoint of the period. He flipped a shot from the left faceoff circle off a Hobart defenders back. The puck floated past Connal and into the net. Hall's fourth goal of the season was assisted by Borduas.
 
Hobart finished the game with a 36-23 edge in shots on goal. The Statesmen went 0-for-5 on the power play while the Cadets were 3-for-8 with the man advantage.
 
Hobart will be back in action tomorrow, Jan. 12, when it welcomes Castleton to The Cooler. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.