HWS News
13 March 2025 • Athletics Statesmen Earn 1st Round Bye By Mackenzie Larsen '12
Team will play the winner of Trine versus Oswego on March 22.
The Hobart hockey team earned one of the two first round byes in the 14-team NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship. The Statesmen are the two-time defending national champions and earned the New England Hockey Conference's automatic bid.
Ten teams earned automatic bids by winning their conference championship, while four teams were awarded at-large bids. Hobart awaits the winner of the first round game between Trine and Oswego. The Thunder and the Lakers will play Saturday March 15, in Angola, Indiana.
The quarterfinal contest is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 22. Tickets will be $6 for adults, $4 for students with ID and $3 for children ages 3-11, children 2 and under get in free. HWS students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with a valid OneCard courtesy of HWS Athletics and the SAA. All tickets must be purchased at the door. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
The Statesmen defeated Norwich University 5-2 last weekend in the New England Hockey Conference championship game to earn their third straight Mariano Cup. The win earned Hobart an automatic bid into the tournament.
Hobart (26-1-1) is making its 14th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Statesmen have been selected to 10 straight tournament fields. It is the longest active streak in the nation. Hobart is 12-10 all-time in the tournament.
Hobart is ranked first in the nation in scoring defense (1.00) and scoring margin (3.29). The Statesmen are fifth in scoring offense (4.29) and power-play percentage (.287) and are seventh in penalty-killing percentage (.877).
Hobart is led by junior forward Tanner Daniels' 18 goals, 21 assists and 39 points. His linemates seniors Luke Aquaro (14g, 17a) and Shane Shell (8g, 19a) have 31 and 27 points, respectively. Daniels is fifth in the nation in game-winning goals (5), 10th in points per game (1.39), 11th in goals per game (0.64) and 28th in assists per game (0.75). Sophomore Chris Duclair and graduate student Austin Mourar are tied for eighth in the nation in power-play goals (8).
Juniors Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer have split time in goal. Beaver is 14-1-0 with a 1.13 GAA, a .951 save percentage and five shutouts. Goyer is 12-0-1 with a 0.84 GAA, a .956 save percentage and seven shutouts. Goyer is first in the nation in GAA and save percentage. Beaver is second in GAA and save percentage.
Trine (20-6-2) earned an at-large bid after falling to St. Norbert in the NCHA championship game. Oswego (16-8-3) earned the SUNYAC's automatic bid into the tournament, defeating Plattsburgh 5-2.
