PINE VALLEY, N.Y.— Junior Brendan Kennedy (Georgetown, Ont.) capped a three-goal rally in a four-minute span late in the third period as Babson College came from behind to defeat Elmira College, 3-2, in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's ice hockey action on Friday night at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena.

Babson snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-7-1 overall and 8-5-0 in league play, while Elmira, which is receiving votes in the latest Division III poll, lost for the second time in its last three games to fall to 9-5-2 overall and 6-4-1 in the NEHC.

Graduate student Johnny McElaney (Walpole, Mass.) and first-year Raphael Marcoux (Quebec City, Que.) also scored for the Beavers, junior Nolan Dion (Marshfield, Mass.) collected two assists and senior Wyatt George (Mount Lebanon, Pa.) added one helper. Sophomore Mason Rosado (Weddington, N.C.) finished with 22 saves after shutting down the Soaring Eagles over the final 49 minutes to secure the win.

Seniors Nathan Young (New Market, Md.) and Cole Tucker (Toronto, Ont.) potted first-period goals for the hosts, and graduate student Ryan Reifler (Binghamton, N.Y.) and sophomore Kenny Maxwell (Oakhurst, N.J.) chipped in with assists. Junior Brody Haynes (York, Pa.) made 27 saves in goal but suffered the loss.

The hosts needed just 34 seconds after the opening faceoff to get on the scoreboard. The Soaring Eagles produced an odd-man rush in transition and Reifler found Young streaking down the left side before cutting in front and slipping a backhander through Rosado's pads for an early 1-0 lead.

Elmira doubled the margin at 11:14 of the period when Maxwell broke up a Babson clear along the left boards and fed Tucker in the high slot, and Tucker ripped a shot over Rosado's shoulder just inside the right post. Babson made an attempt to get on the board in the final minute of the frame but Haynes denied sophomore Sean Senier (Melrose, Mass.) on a 3-on-1 to keep it a 2-0 game heading into the second period.

 The defenses tightened and the teams went scoreless for more than 40 minutes until the 12th minute of the third period, when Babson capitalized on a power play opportunity. After George battled for the puck along the left boards in the Elmira zone, McElaney picked up the loose puck, skated toward the middle, and unloaded a shot from the high slot over Haynes' shoulder inside the left post to put the Beavers on the board at the 12:02 mark. It was McElaney's third straight game with a goal.

The Beavers tied the game just a minute and a half later. Marcoux intercepted an Elmira clear attempt at the left point, sent a wrist shot toward the goal through traffic in front, which found the back of the net inside the far post for his second of the season to tie the game at 2-2 at 13:32.

Riding the momentum, Babson pulled ahead two and a half minutes later. Kennedy gained control of the puck in his own zone near the right circle, skated the length of the ice and behind the net before scoring on a wraparound, tucking the puck inside the left post with 3:49 remaining. It was his sixth straight game with a goal and his NEHC-leading and career-high 12th of the season.

The Green and White controlled play for the final 3:49 while the teams played whistle-free. Babson prevented any Elmira shots, kept the puck out of harm's way and held Elmira from pulling its goalie until the final six seconds.

The Beavers finished with a 30-24 advantage in shots on goal and went 1-for-3 on the power play while killing all three Elmira chances with the man-advantage.

The two teams will face each other again on Saturday in a rematch at 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• Babson is 10-8-0 all-time against Elmira in a series that dates back to 1977-78 after snapping a two-game skid in the series.
• The Beavers erased a two-goal third-period deficit for the first time since November 17, 2023 when they beat Johnson & Wales, 5-4 in OT, after trailing 4-1 in the second period and 4-2 in the third.
• Kennedy's six-game goal streak is the longest by a Babson player going back to the 2011-12 season.
• The Green and White are 6-3-1 this season in games that were decided by one goal or ended in a tie.