BEVERLY, Mass.- The second-ranked Hobart College hockey team scored a pair of goals in the third period, defeating fourth-ranked Endicott College 3-1 at Raymond J. Bourque Arena in a national semifinal this evening. With the win, the Statesmen are 28-2-0 on the season and will skate in the national championship game for the first time in program history.
 
Junior forward Artem Buzoverya and sophomore defenseman Cooper Swift led the Statesmen with two points each. Both players had a pair of assists. First-year Damon Beaver played all 60 minutes in goal and made 25 saves.
 
Jackson Sterrett scored for Endicott (23-3-2).  Ryan Wilson played just over 59 minutes in goal and made 23 saves.
 
KEY STATS:

• Both teams finished the game with 26 shots on goal.
• Hobart was 1-for-6 on the power play and Endicott was 0-for-4 with the extra attacker.
• The Statesmen are now 1-1 against the Gulls with both teams winning on their opponent's home ice.

 
SCORING SUMMARY

• Sterrett opened the scoring at the 4:34 mark of the second period. He ripped a shot from the left faceoff circle past Beaver for his 12th goal of the season.
• Senior Brenden Howell tied the game 1-1 at the 21:49 mark of the first period.  He banged home a rebound for his sixth goal of the season and his second game-tying goal in as many games. Junior Matthieu Wuth and Buzoverya were awarded assists on the goal.
• Junior Austin Mourar scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal at the 13:09 mark of the third period. He blasted a shot from the left faceoff circle past Wilson for his fourth goal of the season. Sophomores Shane Shell and Cooper Swift were credited with assists on the goal.
• Sophomore Luke Aquaro added an empty-net goal with 39 seconds remaining in regulation to seal the victory. His 20th goal of the season was assisted by Swift and Buzoverya.

 
NEAR MISSES

• Early in the first period junior defender Jared Patterson fired a shot from the slot off of the right goal post.
• The Statesmen had another scoring chance swiped off of the goal line by an Endicott defender in the second period.
• Endicott had its chances, but Beaver was up to the task making nine saves in the first period and seven in the third.

 
UP NEXT
Hobart will be back in action on Sunday, March 26, when it takes on third-ranked Adrian. The national championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Raymond J. Bourque Arena.