(Full game story coming shortly.)
Connor Hughes’ unassisted overtime goal at 9:27 advanced St. Norbert to its second national championship game in three seasons. Hughes flipped a quick wrister past Hobart goaltender Keith Longo to cement the 5-4 overtime win.
Hobart’s Jonathan Swift got his second goal of the game at 7:18 of the third period to tie the game at 4-4. Swift wheeled out from behind the St. Norbert net and swept a shot past goaltender Kyle Jones from the center of the left circle.
St. Norbert’s power-play goal at 2:59 of the third period had given the Green Knights the lead at 4-3. Jeff Hazelwood buried a blocked shot that dropped at his feet at the bottom of the right face off circle past a screened Hobart goaltender Keith Longo.
Connor Hughes’ rebound goal at 14:42 of the second period had tied today’s early semifinal at 3-3 after two periods. Longo had made an initial save, but the puck bounced to Hughes at the open side of the net.
St. Norbert had cut the Hobart lead to 3-2. With some sustained pressure in the Hobart zone, Ryan Peterson scored on a tight angle at 4:47 of the second period.
Will Bodine’s power-play goal had given Hobart a 3-1 lead at 18:37 of the first period. Bodine took a pass from Will Brame at the left point and roofed a rising shot into the far side of the net.
Hobart had taken a 2-1 lead at 17:03 of the first period on a Mike McCarthy blast from the point through a screen.
Hobart had tied the game at 1-1 at 16:02 of the first period. Jonathan Swift roofed a rebound of Shawn Houde shot in a flurry in front of Jones.
St. Norbert took a 1-0 lead on a first-period goal by Kurtis Peterson. Peterson buried a rebound of Marc Belanger’s shot behind a sprawled Longo.
St. Norbert outshot Hobart 13-4 in the second period. The Statesmen got their first shot on goal about seven minutes into the game but led in shots on goal 15-12 after one.
Hobart is 1-5 on the power play while St. Norbert is 1-4.
