Beaver matches shutout mark, #1 Statesmen advance to SUNYAC title game
Hobart Sports Information Department
GENEVA, N.Y.—The top-ranked Hobart hockey team knocked off Cortland 4-0 in a SUNYAC semifinal at The Cooler this evening. Hobart senior goalie Damon Beaver stopped all 19 shots he faced as he recorded the 25th shutout of his career, matching the NCAA Division III record set by Kyle Jones of St. Norbert in 2008.
Senior Kahlil Fontana (1g, 2a) and sophomore Arvega Hovsepyan (1g, 2a) led the way for the Statesmen, posting three points each. Junior Bauer Morrissey added a goal and an assist in the win.
Nolan Suggs played all 60 minutes in goal for the Red Dragons and made 59 saves.
STREAKING
- Hobart won its collegiate hockey record 67th straight game at The Cooler.
- The Statesmen also extended their overall win streak to 33 games and their unbeaten streak to 40 games.
- Beaver picked up his second consecutive shutout and Hobart's fourth straight shutout.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Hobart dominated the stat sheet, finishing with a 63-19 advantage in shots on goal.
- The Statesmen had a 43-28 advantage in the faceoff circle.
- Hobart was 1-for-5 on the power play and Cortland could not convert on its one power-play attempt
MATCH MOMENTS
- Hobart opened the scoring at the 16:29 mark of the first period. Senior Tristan Fasig wristed a shot off a defender's skate and past Suggs for his sixth goal of the season. Sophomores Adam Mendelson and Easton Ryan started the play with a breakout play out of the defensive end of the rink.
- The Statesmen took a 2-0 lead just under five minutes into the second period. Kahlil Fontana ripped a one-timer from the left faceoff circle for his team-leading 20th goal of the season. Hovsepyan and junior Bauer Morrissey notched assists on the power-play goal.
- Twelve minutes later, Fontana returned the favor, setting up Morrissey's seventh goal of the season. Morrissey fired a shot through traffic and into the back of the net. Hovsepyan added his 30th assist of the season on the goal.
- Hovsepyan notched a goal of his own with 3:30 remaining in regulation. He collected a pass in the low slot and flipped a shot over Suggs' left pad. Senior Tanner Daniels and Fontana had assists on the tally.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
- Tonight's shutout was Beaver's sixth of the season. That moves him into a tie for fourth on the single-season list.
- Hobart's 13th shutout of the season matches the Statesmen's single-season record set in 2023-24.
- Beaver recorded his 70th career win, moving him into a tie for sixth in NCAA Division III history with Geneseo's Devin McDonald.
- With two assists tonight, Hovsepyan now has 30 this season. That moves him into a tie with Joe Howard and Mike Sippel for third on the single-season list.
- Fontana becomes the 14th player in program history to have a 20-goal season.
COACH'S CORNER
PLAYER"S PERSPECTIVE
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday, March 7, when it welcomes Oswego to The Cooler for the SUNYAC Championship game. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Cortland | Hobart |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPlays | 0 for 1 | 1 for 5 |
| Shorthanded Goals | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties (min) | 6 (12) | 2 (4) |
| Shots on Goal | 19 | 63 |
| Face Offs Won | 28 | 43 |
