Box l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Host Nazareth recorded four goals in the second period and three more goals in the third period to overcome an early 2-0 deficit to defeat 15th-ranked Hobart 7-2 in an ECAC West men's hockey game on Friday evening. Sophomore David Seward scored two goals while classmate Scott Dawson recorded the Golden Flyers' first goal and added three assists. C.J. Murray, John Power, Oliver Janzen, and Scott Andler had Nazareth's other goals.

With the victory, the Golden Flyers stay in a first-place tie in the ECAC West standings with Neumann. Each team has 10 points. Nazareth improves to 8-6-3 overall and 4-1-2 in the conference with the win. The Statesmen fall to 11-6 overall and 4-3 in the ECAC West. With its four victories, Hobart has eight points in the conference standings. The Golden Flyers will try to claim sole possession of first place when the teams play again on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex.

The Golden Flyers found the back of the net 3:59 into the second period to trim their deficit to 2-1. In the Hobart zone, junior Rocky Gruttadauria won the faceoff from the right circle back to Dawson. Dawson fired a shot from the right point that deflected off a defender to beat goalie Lino Chimienti. Nazareth tied the contest 7:12 later when Seward stuffed the puck past the goal line. Andler kept the scoring opportunity alive by knocking the puck away from the Hobart defender. After going around the net, he put the puck in front of the goal for Seward.

Less than a minute later, Nazareth claimed the lead on a one-timer by Murray. Attacking in transition, Gruttadauria passed the puck ahead to junior Tom Seravalli. Midway into the Statesmens' zone, Seravalli centered a pass from the left-wing boards to Murray. The Golden Flyers' fourth goal of the period came with 5:06 left to play in the stanza. Nazareth took advantage of a turnover to set up a transition opportunity. Sophomore Justin LaCorte centered a pass to Power, who buried his shot over Chimienti's shoulder.

The Golden Flyers continued the momentum in the third period with a pair of goals in the opening 2:18 to break the game open. Janzen and sophomore Ben Blasko used a give-and-go in an odd-man rush for Nazareth's fifth goal. Moments later, Dawson used another transition opportunity to send a pass to Seward, who tapped the puck into the open side of the net for the Golden Flyers' sixth tally. With 7:25 to play in regulation, Andler crammed the puck inside the right post to give Nazareth the five-goal margin.

With the Golden Flyers trying to maintain their lead in the second period, goalie Ed Zdolshek made multiple point-blank saves on Hobart breakaways, including a stop on Nick Bingaman, who entered the game with eight goals, which ranked third on the Hobart roster. Zdolshek also made a sprawling save to his left in the third period to continue to frustrate the Hobart offense.

The Statesmen opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first 4:59 of the game. Brad McBride opened the scoring with an odd-man rush goal. It was his team-leading 11th goal of the season. Mitch Beyer extended the Hobart lead to two with a powerplay goal just over four minutes later. Zdolshek finished the contest with 33 consecutive saves to stymie the Statesmen.

Hobart finished with a 38-32 advantage in shots on goal and a 43-41 edge in faceoffs won. Andler won a team-high 14 faceoffs, and senior Julius Tamasy and Blasko each won 10 draws.