HARRISVILLE, R.I. (Jan. 16) – Led by two goals and two assists each from Ryan Wallace and Greg Ciciola, the Hobart College men's ice hockey team defeated Nichols College, 7-2, Sunday afternoon at June Rockwell Levy Rink. The Statesmen improve to 11-4-1 with their third win in a row, while Nichols dips to 7-7-1.

The Statesmen scored twice late in the opening period to hold a 2-0 lead headed into the first intermission. Thomas Capalbo put the Statesmen on the board at 14:26 when he lifted in a rebound at the far post. Nichols netminder Jacob Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) made the initial save on a Ryan Corcoran shot from the slot. The puck fell back behind the net to Chistopher Bower who tapped it up to Cam Miller and on to Capalbo at the doorstep.

Four minutes later, Frank Salituro used a backhand redirect in front of the crease to edge the Statesmen ahead by two, tipping in a shot from the point by Kyle Whitaker. Bobby Hannah slid the puck up from the right circle to set up the play.

The Statesmen added three goals in a span of six minutes in the middle frame to take a 5-0 lead into the third period. Ciciola stole the puck deep in the Nichols zone and found Wallace curling in front of the net for a one-timer at 9:18. Capalbo added a power-play goal at 11:33, assisted by Salituro and Brad Richard. Ciciola capped the period's scoring at 15:23, finishing off a pass from Wallace in the circle. Harry Radovich started the play with a pass in from the point.

Ciciola notched a one-timer on the power play 3:43 into the final frame for a 6-0 lead, but Nichols' Greg Strootman (Aston, Pa.) answered with a power-play goal at 8:33 to put Nichols on the board. Brent Davis (Stony Plain, Alberta) curled the puck around the back of the net and slipped it to Strootman who tapped it in at the left post.

Wallace pushed the Statesmen's lead back to six goals midway through the frame with a one-timer over the glove of Nichols netminder Dylan Woodring (Rogue River, Ore.) off a centering pass from Ciciola.
Davis responded just over a minute later on the power play, lifting a backhander high from right in front of the net. Strootman and Andrew Ella (Schomberg, Ontario) were credited with assists.

Hobart went 2-for-6 on the power play and allowed the Bison to finish 2-for-5, the first power play goals let up in 15 attempts by the Statesmen.

Rinn made 17 saves and allowed four goals in the opening 32 minutes before bowing out to Woodring, who finished with 17 stops. Nick Broadwater played 32 minutes of shutout hockey with 19 saves to earn the win before giving way to Martin Ausserhofer, who made eight saves while allowing two goals.

Nichols resumes ECAC Northeast action Wednesday in a 7:55 p.m. game at Johnson and Wales. Hobart hosts SUNY Morrisville Saturday, January 22 at 7 p.m.

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