GENEVA, N.Y.-The Hobart College hockey team used a pair of second period goals to defeat Johnson & Wales 5-2 in a New England Hockey Conference contest at The Cooler this evening. With the win, the Statesmen are now 16-6-2 overall on the season and 10-5-2 in conference play.
 
Junior Zach Sternbach had a pair of goals and an assist to lead all skaters with three points. Sophomore Andrew Longo (2a) and senior Brandon Bistodeau (1g, 1a) also had multi-point games for the Statesmen. First-year Joe Halstrom made eight saves in 20 minutes in goal for Hobart. Junior Alexander Connal came on to start the second period and made nine saves in the final 40 minutes of action. Craig Hessenlus (1g, 1a) had a goal and an assist for the Wildcats (4-17-3, 2-13-2).  Mike Rockwell started in goal and made 10 saves in the opening 10 minutes before giving way to Tyler Ellor who came on in relief and made 46 saves.
 
Hobart wasted little time opening the scoring. Sixty-six seconds into the game, Sternbach made it 1-0 with his sixth goal of the season. Sternbach raced down the right wing and backhanded a shot on goal. The puck bounced off Rockwell's back and across the goal line. Sophomore TJ Schultz and Longo were credited with assists on the goal. Sternbach struck again at the 9:23 mark of the opening period. He redirected a Blake Coffey centering pass into the upper right corner of the goal. Sternbach's seventh goal of the season came just after a Hobart power play had expired. Senior Tanner Shaw was also credited with an assist on the goal.
 
Johnson & Wales answered with a goal 39 seconds later. Connor Bechtel redirected a Hessenius shot from the point past Hallstrom for his 10th goal of the season. Jake Gold also picked up an assist on the power-play goal. The goal came four seconds into the power-play opportunity. Hessenius added a goal of his own 58 seconds later. He picked up a loose puck along the boards and threw it on goal. His shot trickled over the goal line for his fourth goal of the season.
 
Sixty-six seconds later, Hobart regained the lead when Ryan Lynch collected his sixth goal of the season. Senior Brandon Bistodeau and first-year Connor Quinn were credited with assists on the goal. Lynch banked home a rebound from directly in front of the cage.
 
Hobart doubled their lead at the 2:19 mark of the second period. Bistodeau was hauled down by a Wildcat and awarded a penalty shot. He took the puck right down the middle and fired a low wrist shot past Ellor for his third goal of the season. Senior Jonas Toupal added an insurance goal at the 15:32 mark of the period. His 11th goal of the season was assisted by Sternbach and Longo. Toupal one-timed a centering pass from Sternbach across the goal line.
 
Hobart finished the game with a 61-19 advantage in shots on goal. The Wildcats were 1-for-4 on the power-play and the Statesmen were 0-for-8 with the extra attacker.
 
Hobart will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when it welcomes Suffolk to The Cooler. The regular season finale for both teams is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.