PINE VALLEY, N.Y. — Senior Ryan Black (Pomfret, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal 18 minutes and 50 seconds into overtime Saturday evening as No. 8 and fourth-seeded Babson College pulled off a 3-2 upset victory over No. 7 and second-seeded Elmira College in a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's ice hockey semifinal game inside the Murray Athletic Center.

With the outcome, Babson posted its second consecutive overtime playoff triumph and fifth straight victory overall. Babson (18-5-2) advances to the NEHC championship game next Saturday, March 5, at the Babson Skating Center against sixth-seeded Skidmore College after the Thoroughbreds upset No. 5 and top-seeded Hobart College in Saturday's other semifinal, 3-2. Elmira drops slips to 18-6-2 overall and must await a possible NCAA Tournament at-large berth when the field is announced on March 7.

With the clock winding down in the first overtime, Black picked up a rebound near the right face-off circle and fired the puck past Elmira graduate student goalie Chris Janzen (Pelham, Ont.) to send Babson to the NEHC title game for the first time since 2016.

Graduate student goalie Brad Arvanitis (Holliston, Mass.) matched his career high with 47 saves on 49 shots for the Beavers, including 11 in the third period and 11 more in overtime.

Black finished with a goal and an assist, including his NCAA-leading eighth game-winning goal of the season. Senior Mike Egan (Billerica, Mass.) tallied a goal and an assist and classmate Matt Wiesner (Newport Beach, Calif.) scored one goal. Senior John Corrigan (Stoneham, Mass.) collected two assists and senior Ryan Campbell (Scituate, Mass.) and sophomore Colby Bailey (Southborough, Mass.) had one helper each.

Graduate student Adam Eby (Lancaster, Pa.) and sophomore Shawn Kennedy (Bainsville, Ont.) scored the scored the Elmira goals, and sophomores Bailey Krawczyk (Elmira, N.Y.), Chance Gorman (Clinton, N.Y.) and Jordan Gonzalez (Hamburg, N.Y.) collected assists. Janzen made 41 saves in goal, including nine in the third period and 12 in overtime, to suffer the tough-luck loss.

Wiesner gave the Beavers the lead midway through the first period with a goal from the bottom of the right face-off circle on a feed from Black. Eby evened the score with two minutes left in the first, pounding home a rebound past Arvanitis.

The teams went scoreless the next 29 minutes, which including a power play attempt for each team. Elmira finally took a 2-1 lead when Kennedy deflected in a shot in front of Arvanitis for a power play goal at 7:05 of the third period, but the Soaring Eagles were whistled for a penalty 10 seconds later and it took Babson just 20 seconds to capitalize. Egan fired a shot for the left circle that was deflected past Janzen at 7:35, setting up the overtime.

Babson had a 13-11 shot advantage in the overtime but Elmira led the shot barrage for the game, 49-44. Both teams scored once on the power play, Babson on four tries and Elmira on three.

GAME NOTES
• Babson is 6-6-0 all-time against the Soaring Eagles in a series that dates back to 1977-78.
• This was the first time in conference tournament history that Babson has won two OT games in the same season. The Beavers edged Norwich in OT in the quarterfinals by the same 3-2 score.
• Arvanitis matched his career high with 47 saves; his previous 47-save effort was a 0-0 tie at Hobart on January 10, 2020.
• Black now ranks 18th in school history in goals (46) and is tied for 15th in assists (62).