BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore David Novotny (Delray Beach, Fla) scored a power play goal with 5:58 remaining in the third period to cap a three-goal rally and New England College went on to post a 4-3 come-from-behind upset victory over No. 6 Babson College Saturday afternoon in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's ice hockey action inside the Babson Skating Center.

With the loss, the Beavers drop to 7-3-2 overall and 4-2-2 in the NEHC while NEC won its fourth game in a row and improves to 6-5-0 overall and 4-3-0 in league play. The Pilgrims earned the win despite being outshot 65-19 in the game.

First-year Brendan Kennedy (Georgetown, Ontario), junior Colby Bailey (Southborough, Mass.) and sophomore Wyatt George (Mount Lebanon, Pa.) scored for the Beavers, and first-years Nolan Dion (Marshfield, Mass.) and Charlie Andriole (Branford, Conn.), junior Thomas Kramer (Bridgewater, Mass.) and seniors Andrew Holland (Winchester, Mass.) and Chris Rooney (Milton, Mass.) collected assists. Senior goalie Nolan Hildebrand (Penticton, B.C.) made 15 saves in the setback.

Graduate student Andrew Kormos (Milford, Mich.) made a career-high 62 saves in goal in the win for NEC. Seniors Jhuwon Davis (Detroit, Mich.) and Alex LaPlante (Londonderry, N.H.) and first-year Manny Cabral (Providence, R.I.) scored for the Pilgrims and Novotny, Cabral, junior Anthony Cinato (Warren, Mich.) and first-years Kam Hellman (Macomb, Mich.) and Michael Heller (Mohrsville, Pa.) recorded assists.

The Beavers took a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the first nine minutes of a five-goal first period. Kennedy scored the opener at 7:43 after a nice crossing pass from Dion from the left and Bailey doubled the lead a minute later with a power play goal on a similar feed from the left from Kramer.

NEC got one back at 11:33 after finishing off a 2-on-1 rush as Davis beat Hildebrand from the left side on a feed from Hellman. George reestablished the two-goal lead for Babson four minutes later when he buried a rebound at 15:20, but LaPlante rounded on the first period scoring at 16:41 when he tipped in a shot from the point by Heller to make it 3-2 Babson after one.

The visitors tied the score at 3-3 at 8:37 of the second period one a breakaway goal by Cabral. NEC was whistled for three penalties the rest of the period but Babson could not capitalize, including a 5-on-3 spell for almost a minute from the end of the second and beginning of the third.

Both teams had two power play chances to break the tie early in the third period, including another Babson 5-on-3, but neither could convert until Novotny picked up a loose puck right in front and roofed a shot with the man advantage to give the Pilgrims a 4-3 lead. The Pilgrims killed off one more penalty in the final three minutes to secure the win.

Babson will look to rebound on Tuesday with a non-conference road game at No. 10 Trinity in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament first-round game. NEC plays a non-conference game Thursday at Salem State.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 46-24-8 all-time against New England College in a series that dates back to 1977, and the Pilgrims won for the first time in the last seven games (1-5-1) at the Babson Skating Center.
• The Green and White lost for the first time in six games this season when leading after the first period.
• Babson suffered its first home loss this season and is now 18-3-3 at home since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.