What the first semifinal game delivered in offensive volume, the second game delivered in a highly choreographed chess match between two very skilled teams that ended with a 3-1 win for Hobart in front of a raucous home Endicott fan base. Goals from Brenden Howell, Austin Mourar and an empty-net goal from Luke Aquaro were more than enough for freshman goaltender Damon Beaver who stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn the win.
As expected the first period started with pace and a physicality from both teams looking to establish their brand of hockey. The physical aspect of the game saw each team pick up a pair of minor penalties but neither team could solve the opposing goaltender as Beaver and Endicott’s Ryan Wilson made some big stops to keep the game scoreless after twenty minutes of play.
In the second period the home crowd increased the noise and support from their faithful and were rewarded when Jackson Sterrett broke out on the left wing in transition and fired a shot from outside the face-off dot that seemed to handicap Beaver on the blocker side and the Gulls had a 1-0 lead. Hobart tried to answer but the combination of Wilson and a crease saving sweep of the puck off the goal line by Eric Johansson kept the Statesmen off the board until Brenden Howell found a rebound of a Matthieu Wuth point shot and pulled the puck to his forehand past Wilson who was camped at the far post and the game was tied at 1-1 after the second period with a shot advantage to Endicott 19-16.
The third period saw early pressure from the Gulls but Beaver was up the task keeping the score level. After killing off a minor penalty to Matthew Perryman, the Statesmen went on a power play of their own and the second unit got the goal that Hobart needed when Austin Mourar blasted a shot past Wilson for a 2-1 lead with just under seven minutes left in regulation time.
Beaver stopped a couple more strong chances from Endicott later in the third period before Sterrett took a boarding minor with just over three minutes left in the third period. The Gulls killed the penalty off and pulled Wilson for the extra skater looking for the equalizing goal. Hobart pressured the zone entry and Luke Aquaro converted a deflected pass inot the empty-net goal that iced the 3-1 win for Hobart.
Beaver maintained his season-long 1.00 goals-against average and will now prepare for the championship title game against the defending champions from Adrian on Sunday night.
