GENEVA, N.Y. – Suffolk men's hockey skated with nationally ranked Hobart for the majority of the outing, but the No. 6 Statemen's third-period scoring frenzy proved to be the difference in a 7-4 New England Hockey Conference decision Saturday night.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | No. 6 Hobart 7 
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-2-0, 0-2-0 NEHC) | No. 6 Hobart (3-0-1, 2-0-0 NEHC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Hobart opened the scoring 93 seconds into the game. Travis Schneider one-timed a shot from the slot past Nathan Pickett for his first goal of the season. Aaron and Maguyon and Jake Gresh were credited with assists on the goal. 

Suffolk tied the game at the 7:56 mark of the first period. Brian Brooks wristed a shot through traffic and into the back of the net. Phil Kreuser and Jack Kelly helped on the game-tying goal.  

Just under six minutes later, Brooks added his second goal of the night, wiring a shot from the point under the crossbar. Alex Kolowrat and Miller Rubin helped push the Rams ahead. 

Back-and-forth play continued as the Statesmen scored quickly out of the locker. One minute and 32 seconds out of the first intermission Zach Sternback banked home a rebound. Mark Benemerito and Lawson MacDoughall aided to level the game at two each.  

Suffolk regained the lead at the 3:15 mark of the second stanza. Kelly was hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. The junior deked Joe Halstrom and slid a backhand across the goal line to put the blue-and-gold ahead, 3-1.  

Hobart had a handful of chances in the middle period, outshooting the Rams, 26-3, but Pickett was up to task masking 25 saves.  

The Statesmen's quick scores carried into the third frame as the hosts locked things for the third on the night less than two minutes out of the first intermission. Sternback hit MacDougall with a clearing pass. MacDougall wristed a shot into the upper left corner of the cage. Seenty seconds later, Kolowrat netted his first collegiate goal to give the Rams a 4-3 edge. 

Hobart would equalize the playing field for the fourth time 4:35 later when Maguyon beat Pickett. It turned into a Statesmen scoring frenzy from there as Brenden Howell's goal at the 4:58 mark of the third period would prove to be the game winner before Gresh and Howell tacted on insurance tallies to round out the scoring. 

NETMINDER NOTES

• Pickett picked up 51 saves in the outing. 
• Halstrom secured 12 saves in the victory.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Brooks and Kelly finished with three points each. Brooks produced two goals and one helper, while Kelly had a pair of assists and one strike. 
• Kolowrat registered two points divided in half by goals and assists. 
• Rubin and Kreuser tallied one set-up each. 
• The Statesmen outshot Suffolk, 58-16, and edged out the Rams in the face-off dot, 37-36. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Pickett recorded a personal-best 51 saves, the most since Michael Levine had 53 stops against then-No. 11/13 Hobart Feb. 9, 2019. 
• Kolowrat recorded his first collegiate points with his first-ever goal and assist, respectively.
• Brooks tied a personal-best two goal and three-point effort. 
• Kelly matched a career-high three points.  

POST-GAME PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk steps out of NEHC action for its home opener Friday, Nov. 15 against Anna Maria. Puck drop at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink is set for 7 p.m.