Box Score

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-- Joe Melnyk (Rotterdam, N.Y./CD Selects) scored two goals, including the game winner, to lead the Skidmore College hockey team to a 6-4 win over 14th ranked Bowdoin College in an ECAC East/NESCAC crossover game, Saturday at the Saratoga Springs City Rink.

The win is the first over the Polar Bears since the Thoroughbreds moved to the ECAC East in 1999.  Skidmore enters the semester break on a four-game win streak and a 4-2-0 overall and 2-2 ECAC East record.  Bowdoin falls to 5-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in NESCAC play.

Skidmore grabbed a quick 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Sasha Thomas (Gatineau, Quebec/Winchendon) at 2:08 and Brett Bandazian (Wyckoff, N.J.) at 7:06.  Bandazian's short-handed goal was set-up by Anthony Ferri (Jersey City, N.J.).

The Thoroughbreds scored first in the second period on a power-play goal by Matt Czerkowicz (Blackstone, Mass./Kent School) at 3:53 to make it 3-0.  Bowdoin responded with three straight goals, including goals 13 seconds apart from Matt Smith and Mike Collins, to tie the game 3-3.

Skidmore settled down and regained the lead with Melynk's first goal at 14:43 to make it 4-3 at the end of two.

Bowdoin tied it 4-4 when Ryan Blossom scored on a rebound at 4:24.  Melnyk put the Thoroughbreds on top for good when he tipped-in a Nick Dupuis (Holyoke, Mass./Springfield Falcons) shot at 11:23 for the 5-4 lead.  Chris Webb (Holliston, Mass./New England Huskies) scored an empty-net goal for the 6-4 final.

Andrew Ross (McKinney, Texas/Boston Bulldogs) had 27 saves, including a dramatic glove save with 1:07 to play for the win.  Chris Rossi had 19 saves for Bowdoin.

The Thoroughbreds are off until Jan. 2 when the team will face Oswego State in the first round of the Pathfinder Bank Oswego Classic.
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                         Hockey Game Box Score (Final)
                          2009 Skidmore College Hockey
     #14 Bowdoin vs Skidmore College (Dec 06, 2008 at Saratoga Springs, NY)
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 Bowdoin (5-1-1,3-1-1) vs. Skidmore College (4-2, 2-2)
 Date: Dec 06, 2008  Location: Saratoga Springs, NY  Arena: Saratoga City Rink 
 Attendance:410   Start time:4 p.m.    End time:5:50 p.m  Total time:1:50   
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 Goals by Period       1  2  3  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Bowdoin.............  0  3  1 -  4
 Skidmore College....  2  2  2 -  6
 
   1st period - 1, SKDM, Sasha Thomas (Alex Mykolenko) 2:08. 2, SKDM,
Brett Bandazian (Anthony Ferri) 7:06 (sh). Penalties - Leland Fidler,
BOWM (hooking) 4:46; Matt Czerkowicz, SKDM (slashing) 5:59; Joe
Melnyk, SKDM (cross-checking) 14:50; Ryan Blossom, BOWM (boarding)
15:29; Team, BOWM (too many on ice) 18:35.

   2nd period - 3, SKDM, Matt Czerkowicz (Mike Gibbons, Phil McDavitt)
3:53 (pp). 4, BOWM, Matt Smith (Erik Olson, Mike Collins) 5:40. 5,
BOWM, Mike Collins (Leland Fidler, Jordan Lalor) 5:53. 6, BOWM, Jeff
Fanning (Brendan Reich, Benjamin Higgins) 11:59. 7, SKDM, Joe Melnyk
(Tim Welsh, Jonathan Watanabe) 14:43. Penalties - Ryan Blossom, BOWM
(boarding) 2:12; Hunter Thayer, SKDM (tripping) 9:53.

   3rd period - 8, BOWM, Ryan Blossom (Leland Fidler, Ryan Smith)
4:24. 9, SKDM, Joe Melnyk (Nick Dupuis) 11:23. 10, SKDM, Chris Webb
(Brett Bandazian, Nick Dupuis) 19:16 (empty net). Penalties - Thomas
Herd, BOWM (tripping) 7:19; Ryan Blossom, BOWM (slashing) 14:55.

   Shots on goal - BOWM 5-14-12 31; SKDM 10-8-7 25.

   Power plays - BOWM 0 of 0; SKDM 1 of 0.

   Penalties - BOWM 6 (12 min); SKDM 3 (6 min).

   Goalies - BOWM, Chris Rossi (58:45 minutes, 24 shots-19 saves) ,
EMPTY NET (01:15, 0-0); SKDM, Andrew Ross (60:00, 31-27).

   Penalty shots - None.

 A-410  T-1:50   
 Three stars: 1. None    2. None    3. None   
 Referee:Marc LeFebvre  Linesman:Gary Whittier; John Kilmer
 Win-Andrew Ross.  Loss-Chris Rossi.