SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team rallied for three unanswered goals in the third period to earn a 4-3  victory versus Skidmore College in ECAC East action on Saturday at Cairns Arena.

For Saint Michael's (10-11-1, 5-11-1 ECAC East), senior Dan Anctil (Rochester, N.H.) netted two goals, including the game-winner with 8:47 left in regulation, and added an assist. Sophomore Patrick McGuirk (Hingham, Mass.) netted a game-tying goal in the third period and assisted on Anctil's game-winner, while junior John Burns (Sandwich, Mass.) also scored. Junior Tyler Bilton (Penticton, B.C.) turned aside 26 shots for the Purple Knights.

            For Skidmore (6-15-2, 3-13-1 ECAC East), senior Cameron Clark (Indianapolis, Ind.), sophomore Matt Czerkowicz (Blackstone, Mass.)  and freshman Hunter Thayer (Shelburne, Vt./Green Mountain Glades) all scored second-period goals. Senior Ted Levine (New York, N.Y.) recorded 24 saves.
            Saint Michael's opened the scoring 2:50 into the contest, as Anctil connected on the Purple Knights' first shot of the game for his fourth goal of the season. That was the only scoring in a relatively clean opening period that saw just two Skidmore power play opportunities and a combined 13 shots on goal.

            The Thoroughbreds evened the score 12:13 into the second period, as Czerkowicz slipped a shot past Bilton 28 seconds into a power play for his sixth goal of the year. Just 56 seconds later, Skidmore took its first lead on Clark's unassisted tally, his first goal of the season. Skidmore increased its lead to 3-1 with 2:38 left in the frame on Thayer's fourth goal of the year.

            The Purple Knights quickly tied the score in the third period. Exactly one minute into the frame, Burns deposited a power play goal from just inside the blue line, his fifth goal of the season. Forty-eight seconds later, McGuirk evened the score at 3-all with his fourth score of the year. Anctil then scored the game-winner with just two seconds left on a Purple Knights' power play, lifting Saint Michael's to 8-2-1 at home this season.

            Saint Michael's returns to action on Friday with a 7 p.m. contest at Bowdoin College. Skidmore hosts Trinity College of Connecticut on Friday at 7 p.m.

 

GAME SUMMARY         1          2          3          Total

Skidmore                     0          3          0          -- 3      

Saint Michael's            1          0          3          -- 4

 

First Period - Scoring: 1. SMC, Anctil (LaBelle-Hamer, Nest), 2:50. Penalties: Burns, SMC (roughing), 9:27; Dodge, SMC (roughing), 18:13; Vredenburgh, CST (slashing), 18:13; Vorozilchak, SMC (interference), 19:21.

 

Second Period - Scoring: 2. SKD, Czerkowicz (Gibbons, Melnyk), 12:13 (pp). 3. SKD, Clark (unassisted), 13:09. 4. SKD, Thayer (Bandazian, Welsh), 17:22. Penalties: Peryer, SMC (cross checking), 11:45; Czerkowicz, SKD (hooking), 14:24; Peryer, SMC (hitting from behind), 17:58.

           

Third Period - Scoring: 5. SMC, Burns (Mero, Healey), 1:00 (pp). 6. SMC, McGuirk (Anctil, Higgins), 1:48. 7. SMC, Anctil (McGuirk, Legare), 11:13 (pp). Penalties: Gibbons, SKD (tripping), :33; Ferri, SKD (cross checking), 9:14; Dodge, SMC (cross checking), 14:20; Dodge, SMC (unsportsmanlike conduct – served by Whitney), 14:20; Thayer, SKD (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:20.

 

Shots on Goal: SKD (7 – 17 – 6 – 29), SMC (6 – 7 – 15 – 28).

 

Saves: SKD, Levine (28 shots, 24 saves); SMC, Bilton (29 shots, 26 saves).