GENEVA, N.Y.-The Hobart College hockey team advanced to the semifinal round of the New England Hockey Conference tournament with a 4-1 victory over New England College tonight in The Cooler. With the win, the Statesmen are 18-6-2 overall this season.
 
The Pilgrims, who were the No. 5 seed in the tournament, finish the season with a 16-5-5 overall record. Hobart the No. 4 seed will travel to take on top-seeded UMass Boston in the semifinals next Saturday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. The Beacons defeated Southern Maine 4-0 in their quarterfinal tonight. No. 2 Norwich will host No. 3 Babson in the other semifinal game on Feb. 23.
 
Sophomore Ryan Lynch recorded a game-high two goals in the victory for the Statesmen. Six other skaters recorded a point for Hobart. First-year Liam Lascelle stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced as he improved to 7-1-2 on the season. David Good scored the goal for New England College. Anthony Pupplo started and made 41 saves.
 
Hobart opened the scoring at the 2:37 mark of the first period when first-year Blake Coffey fired a shot from the point underneath Pupplo's glove hand. The goal was Coffey's second of the season. Fellow first-year PA Martineau was credited with an assist after a clean faceoff win to Coffey at the point. The Statesmen took a 2-0 lead at the 14:43 mark of the period when Lynch banged home a loose puck for his first goal of the game. Sophomore TJ Schultz was credited with an assist on the goal. Schultz had a shot from the point turned aside by Pupplo. Lynch jumped on the rebound and converted for his seventh tally of the season.
 
Hobart jumped on the Pilgrims from the opening faceoff, earning a 19-8 edge in shots on goal in the opening period.
 
The Statesmen extended their lead to 3-0 on sophomore Travis Schneider's 13th goal of the season. With Hobart killing a penalty, he broke up a passing attempt in the neutral zone, deked around a defender and flipped a shot past Pupplo. It was Hobart's league-leading sixth shorthanded goal of the season.
 
New England College broke up the shutout bid at the 8:12 mark of the second period. Good redirected a CJ Valerian shot from point past Lascelle. It was Good's second goal of the season.
 
Lynch closed out the scoring 87 seconds later when he fired a one-timer from the slot past Pupplo for his eighth goal of the season. Junior Julien Denicourt and senior Jack Macnee were credited with assists on the power-play goal. Macnee fired a pass from the point to Denicourt, who was below the goal line. Denicourt one-touched the pass to Lynch in the slot. Lynch fired the puck into back of the net.
 
Hobart finished the game with a 45-21 edge in shots on goal. The Statesmen were 1-for-6 on the power-play and New England College was 0-for-4 with the extra attacker.