The Pulteney Street SurveySummer '24
Chris Duclair ‘27 (above) and Tanner Hartman ’26 (below, #82) led the team to a 10-0 win over Southern Maine during Hobart’s record shutout run early in the season. In that game, Duclair had three goals and Hartman scored two, as did Kahlil Fontana ’26.
The Regular Season
As reigning national champions, the Statesmen entered the year with a No. 1 ranking and a target on their back. The team was tested right out of the gate, facing two nationally ranked opponents in their first three games. On opening night against Oswego, Hobart took a 2-1 lead late into regulation before the Lakers tied the game with 90 seconds left. Damon Beaver ’26 showed the flashes of brilliance that would make him one of the best goalies in the country, stopping 38 shots, but Oswego rallied for an overtime win.
The next night, Hobart bounced back with a 7-0 win over Potsdam, the first of four consecutive shutouts in the following weeks, topping No. 6 Norwich (3-0), New England College (7-0) and the University of Southern Maine (10-0). This run was the longest with no goals allowed in the program’s history.
In November, the Statesmen suffered their second and final defeat of the season against Babson before embarking on a 25-game unbeaten streak that would carry them through the season.
After wins over Buffalo State, Fredonia and Brockport, Hobart returned from Thanksgiving break to outscore UMass Boston and Johnson & Wales 14-1 in a weekend set. Tanner Hartman ’26 led the team to victory and set three Hobart single- game records in the process with five assists and six points against the Beacons and four goals against the Wildcats.
A week later, the Statsemen made their first trip to Hartford, Conn., for a preview of the national championship game against then No. 14 Trinity. With 33 saves from Beaver, Hobart prevailed 2-1 on a Jonah Alexander ’24 goal in the third period.
Goalie Damon Beaver ’26 prepares to stop a shot during Hobart’s 8-1 win over Middlebury. A second team All-NEHC pick for 2023-34, Beaver was ranked first in the nation in goalie winning percentage (.929), GAA (0.94), save percentage (.962) and shutouts (7).
After an 8-1 win over Middlebury in December, the Statesmen continued their momentum in 2024, outscoring their first three opponents 22-3 and shutting out Babson (5-0) to avenge their lone conference loss.
Hobart closed out January sweeping No. 3 Elmira. During the first game in Elmira, the Statesmen scored five goals in the second period to pull away for a 7-2 win. The next day in Geneva, Hobart defeated the Soaring Eagles 5-0, tallying an 11th shutout on the season and cementing their status as the No. 1 team in the country.
With wins over Johnson & Wales and UMass Boston, the Statesmen clinched their third consecutive New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) regular season title with one week remaining.