David has taken down Goliath!!
Hamilton shocked previously unbeaten Hobart in overtime to win their first ever national championship and deny the Statesmen a four-peat and perfect season on Sunday with a dramatic 2-1 overtime win. To win big games you need primarily three things: your best player being the best player – Luke Tchor, one goal and the primary assist on the game winner; great goaltending – Aksel Reid, mad e38 saves including eight in the overtime session; and someone stepping up – first-year Curtiss Sturgeon netted only his second goal of the season for the Continentals but it was the overtime winner. What a way to cap off the season that was 2025-26!
Here is how the championship game of the NCAA tournament went down on Sunday:
Hamilton v. Hobart
In a game that featured two teams playing great hockey it is not surprising that the game would be close and that overtime would be needed to determine the outcome.
The game was played with only two minor penalties called and was played with great energy and pace, it was Hobart that took advantage of the power play with Khalil Fontana netting the game’s first goal just before the midway point of the first period.
It took Hamilton just fifteen seconds to start the second period to erase the one-goal deficit as Luke Tchor scored to tie the game at 1-1 and due to the efforts of Reid for Hamilton and Damon Beaver for Hobart, the score remained at 1-1 for the remainder of regulation.
Hobart had some chances in OT but was stymied by Reid. With less than four minutes remaining in the overtime period, a turnover in the offensive end led to a 2-on-1 for Hamilton. Luke Tchor held the puck, posturing shot that kept Beaver committed to the short side before sliding a perfect pass to Sturgeon who beat the hard-crossing Beaver just inside the post on the stick-side to win the game for Hamilton.
Hamilton finishes the season at 23-5-2 and is the first NESCAC school to win the national championship since Trinity defeated Wisconsin – Stevens Point in the title game in 2015.
Hobart finishes the season at 30-1-0 leaving the 2019 Wisconsin – Stevens Point team as the only unbeaten national champion with a 29-0-2 record that season.
USCHO Game Pucks
Curtiss Sturgeon – Hamilton – wasted no time burying the perfect pass form Luke Tchor to put the puck past Hobart’s Damon Beaver in overtime to secure a 2-1 win and national championship for Hamilton. Sturgeon’s goal was just his second of the season for the Continentals
Luke Tchor – Hamilton – scored Hamilton’s first goal of the game and assisted on Sturgeon’s overtime winner to factor in all the scoring the Continentals would need in the 2-1 OT win over Hobart.
Aksel Reid – Hamilton – stopped 39 of 40 shots including eight in the overtime period to backstop the Continentals 2-1 win.
Well, that is a wrap for all the action on the ice this season and what a way to end it!
Next up will be the season finale with the All-USCHO awards – lots to explore there with outstanding performances in great abundance.
Note: Correction to the championship game pick article released on Sunday stated this was the third in-state match-up between teams from New York state. It is the fourth as I omitted last year’s Utica v. Hobart game. Yesterday’s Hamilton v. Hobart game now ties New York with Wisconsin with four in-state title games each.