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Pine Valley, NY -- For the second night in a row, the Elmira College men's ice hockey team (14-10-1, 9-5-1 ECAC West) suffered a heartbreaking loss in overtime to the Statesmen of Hobart College (13-8-4, 7-5-3 ECAC West).  Elmira fell in tonight's regular season finale, 5-4, with just 1:15 left in the overtime period. 

Tonight's game was also Elmira College's Class of 2014 Recognition night where EC honored its four graduating members of the men's ice hockey team as they played in their final regular season home game of their collegiate careers.  Elmira's four departing players are Joe Gagne '14, Dylan Herold '14, Jesper Strale '14, and Josh Burnell '15 who is graduating early. 

Strale would finish tonight's contest with three points on one goal and two assists while Michael Collins '16 also tallied three points on one goal and two helpers. EC netminder Ryan deMelo '15 logged 63:32 between the pipes as he made 43 saves, marking the fifth time in the last six games he has recorded 40 or more saves. 

Elmira's power play unit continued to show why they are one of the best in the nation as they scored the game's opening goal just 2:32 into the first period.  Scoring the Elmira goal was Jesper Strale '14, who back-handed a one-time shot at point blank range on a pass from Michael Collins '16.  Collins setup Strale's goal as his pass from the right side of the ice made its way through traffic to Strale who was wide open for the goal.

Up 1-0, it looked like Elmira would take a 2-0 lead in the first period when Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 redirected a shot from the point around the seven minute mark.  However, Vaanholt's tipped shot would be turned away on a good effort by Hobart netminder Lino Chimienti. 

The first period would come to a close with the Soaring Eagles leading 1-0.  Shots on goal in the period were nearly even as EC outshot the Statesmen 14-13.

It was a scoring frenzy in the second period as the two teams combined for five total goals.  Hobart got things started with a shorthanded score by Robert Sovik just 1:54 into the period.  Sovik's goal came on an odd-man rush as he would carry the puck on the right side of the ice with a teammate flying on the left but Sovik would keep the puck and bury it on deMelo's stick side. 

Less than four minutes later, Hobart would take a 2-1 lead on a controversial power play goal.  It looked like Hobart's goal would be called back, but after a meeting of the officials, the Statesmen's goal was ruled good.

Elmira evened the game at 2-2 at the 14:55 mark of the second period on a goal by Collins.  EC's ten Vaanholt setup the goal with a timely pass from behind the net to Collins in the slot, allowing him to wrist a shot past the Hobart goalie on the stick side.  Greg Whittle '16 also picked up an assist on the Elmira goal.

Less than two minutes later, Jesper Strale '14 had a scoring attempt bounce of the Hobart goalie's pad but a heads-up play by Max Balaban '16 would lead to an EC score and a 3-2 lead.  Balaban followed-up Strale's shot and buried the rebound for the go-ahead goal.  Rookie Alexander Taulien '17 was credited with an assist on Balaban's goal.

The Soaring Eagle lead was short lived as Hobart's Mac Olson scored a wrap-around shot, top-shelf, to even things up a 3-3 at the 16:58 mark of the second period.  The game would remain tied at 3-3 entering the final period of regulation.

In the third, the Statesmen took a 4-3 lead at the 6:06 mark with their third power play goal of the game. 

With time winding down, Elmira received a huge boost from Captain Josh Burnell '15 as he punched home his 10th power play goal of the season with 5:02 remaining in regulation.  Burnell's 10th power play goal is tied for the most in all of NCAA Division III men's ice hockey.  Picking up assists on the game-tying goal was Collins and Strale. 

EC would hold off the Statesmen for the remaining five minutes as the game went to overtime.  Unfortunately for the Soaring Eagles, a Statesmen goal with 1:15 to play in overtime led to a 5-4 loss. 

The Elmira men will be back in action next Saturday, March 1st when the Soaring Eagles host the semifinals of the ECAC West Tournament.  Elmira will await the winners of Wednesday night's ECAC West Quarterfinal games to see who they will play in Saturday's semifinal which is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley, NY.