GENEVA, N.Y.—The second-ranked Hobart College hockey team erupted for five goals in the third period as it defeated Castleton University 7-3 in a New England Hockey Conference quarterfinal contest at The Cooler this afternoon. With the win, the Statesmen are now 24-2-0 overall this season.
 
Six different Statesmen finished the game with multi-point games, including first-year forward Tanner Daniels and sophomore forward Luke Aquaro who had two goals each. First-year Mavrick Goyer started in goal for the Hobart and made 10 saves in the first 40 minutes. First-year Damon Beaver came on in relief and made four saves in just under 19 minutes of work. Brandon Collett made 61 saves in goal for Castleton (9-17-1). Zach Papapetros had a goal and an assist for the Spartans.
 
KEY STATS

• Hobart finished the game with a 68-17 advantage in shots on goal.
• The Statesmen were 2-for-5 on the power play, and Castleton was 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

 
FIRST PERIOD

• The Spartans opened the scoring at the 7:49 mark of the first period. Papapetros fired a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle past Goyer for his third goal of the season. The power-play goal was assisted by Zack Whittaker and Andrew Stefura. It came in the closing stages of a two-man advantage for Castleton.
• Hobart had its chances in the opening frame, but Collett was up to the task, stopping all 24 shots he faced.

 
SECOND PERIOD

• First-year Tanner Hartman tied the game three minutes into the middle period. He picked up a rebound in the low slot and flipped the puck past the goalie. His seventh goal of the season was assisted by Wil Crane and Jared Patterson.
• Five minutes later, the Statesmen took a 2-1 lead on Aquaro's 16th goal of the season. He one-timed a cross-ice pass past Collet. Juniors Jonah Alexander and Austin Mourar were awarded assists on the goal.
• Castleton made it a 2-2 game with just under three minutes left in the stanza. Jackson Kobelka picked up a rebound in the slot and slipped a backhander over Goyer's leg. His fifth goal of the season was assisted by Jeremy Laplante and Justin Stairs.
• The Spartans took a 3-2 lead into the dressing room when Stone Stezl scored his fifth goal of the year. He wristed a shot from the low slot over Goyer's glove. Jason Atkinson and Papapetros were awarded assists on the goal.

 
THIRD PERIOD

• Junior Artem Buzoverya tied the game 3-3 with his fourth goal of the season. He chipped a shot past Collett. Junior Kevin Lassman and graduate student Zach Tyson had assists on the goal.
• Just over a minute later, first-year Tristan Fasig notched his third goal of the game. The eventual game-winning goal was assisted by Gagik Malakyan and Hartman.
• Daniels' eighth goal of the season gave Hobart a two-goal lead. His initial shot was stopped by Collett. Daniels picked up the rebound and slipped the shot inside the left goal post. Crane and Perryman were awarded assists on the goal.
• Aquaro notched his second goal of the game with exactly four minutes remaining in regulation. His power-play goal was assisted by Mourar and sophomore Shane Shell.
• Daniels added an empty net goal with 47 seconds remaining in regulation. Buzoverya and Tyson had assists on the goal.

 
UP NEXT
The Statesmen will be back in action next Saturday, Feb. 25. The Statesmen will take on the lowest remaining seed in a semifinal contest at The Cooler.