UTICA, N.Y.—Just like in the national championship game in March, top-ranked Hobart and seventh-ranked Utica needed overtime to decide a winner. Tonight, in the Adirondack Bank Center, sophomore forward Arvega Hovsepyan scored 44 seconds into overtime to lead the Statesmen past the Pioneers 6-5 in a wild back-and-forth affair.
 
Hovsepyan, who was not in the lineup when the two teams played in March, scored twice for the defending national champions. Junior forward Chris Duclair led the Statesmen with three points on a goal and two assists. Sophomore Nick Dimatos (1g, 1a) also had a multi-point game for the Statesmen. Senior Mavrick Goyer started in goal and made eight saves in 48 minutes of work. Senior Damon Beaver came on in relief and made three saves as he earned the victory.
 
Eric Vitale recorded a hat trick in the losing effort for Utica. Sal Cerrato recorded three assists. John Gutt (1g, 1a) and Hunter Longhi (2a) also had multi-point games for the Pioneers. Kyle Curtin, a transfer from Elmira, went the distance in goal for Utica. He made 30 saves.
 
FOR THE RECORD

• With their ninth straight victory, the Statesmen are now 3-0-0 this season.
• The Pioneers are 0-3-0 on the year.
• Hobart has won four straight games against the Pioneers.

 
THE WINNER

• After Utica held possession of the puck for the opening 30 seconds of overtime. Hovsepyan intercepted a clearing pass from Curtin, carried the puck into the low slot and slipped a shot that trickled through the goalie's legs and across the goal line.

 
SCORING SUMMARY

• Hobart opened the scoring just past the halfway point of the first period. Dimatos ripped a shot through traffic past Curtain for his first goal of the season. Duclair and Easton Ryan were awarded assists on the goal.
• The Pioneers tied the game 90 seconds into the second period. Vitale picked up a loose puck in the slot and poked it across the goal line. Cerrato and Longhi assisted on the five-on-three power-play goal.
• Three minutes later, Utica took a 2-1 lead when Gutt banged home a rebound. Anthony Bax and Cerrato assisted his first goal of the season.
• The Statesmen responded quickly, converting on a power play at the 6:15 mark of the second period. Senior Ignat Belov redirected a shot from Duclair past Curtin for his first goal of the year. Sophomore Connor Elliott also had an assist on the goal.
• Just passed the midway point of regulation, Chris Carroll wristed a shot past Goyer to give Utica a 3-2 lead. His goal was assisted by Gutt and Cerrato.
• Hobart tied the game 3-3 on Hovsepyan's first Statesman goal. He collected a pass from Kahlil Fontana and ripped a shot past Curtin. Dimatos also had a helper on the goal.
• The Statesmen took a 4-3 lead at the 6:28 mark of the third period. Junior Conor Lally blasted a shot from the point past Curtin for his first goal of the year. Junior Bauer Morrissey and senior Tanner Daniels had assists on the power-play goal.
• Vitale scored the next two goals to complete his hat trick. At the 8:29 mark of the final frame, he scored from a tight angle, sneaking a shot past Goyer. His third of the season was assisted by Preston Brighton and Drake Morse. With just over two minutes remaining, Vitale scored a five-on-three power play goal to give Utica a 5-4 lead. His tally was assisted by Longhi and Nick Ahern.
• Hobart wasted little time responding. Thirty seconds later, Duclair scored his first goal of the season. The short-handed delayed penalty goal was assisted by Senior Tristan Fasig and sophomore Josh Doolan.

 
NEAR MISSES

• Utica had a couple of chances in the middle portion of the third period where Damon Beaver made highlight reel saves to keep the Pioneers from adding to their tally. He had a couple of huge glove saves on Drake Morse and then robbed Nick Ahern on a breakaway attempt.

 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hobart outshot Utica 36-16 in the game, including a 17-1 advantage in the first period.
• The Statesmen went 2-for-3 on the power play and the Pioneers were 2-for-9 with the man advantage.

 
THE MOST

• The five goals allowed were the most in a game for the Statesmen since Jan. 21, 2023, against Elmira. The Soaring Eagles won that game 7-5.
• It was the most goals allowed by Hobart in a victory since an 8-5 win over New England College on Feb. 11, 2022.
• The 11 combined goals between the two teams were the most in the 50 games between Utica and Hobart.

 
UP NEXT
After a day off, Hobart and Utica will square off once again on Saturday, Nov. 8, in Geneva. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at The Cooler.