Box Score

HENNIKER, N.H.—New England College ice hockey forward Niko Uola (Turku, Finland) netted two goals, including an empty-netter, lifting the Pilgrims past the visiting Skidmore College Thoroughbreds 3-1 Friday evening at the Lee Clement Arena.

It was the season opener for both teams.

Skidmore would strike first as Hunter Thayer (Shelburne, Vt.)  put in a pass from Aaron Beck (Maribel, Wis.) just 3:03 into the opening period.

The Pilgrims would even the game at 1-1 1:23 into the second period as Niko Uola would net an unassisted goal. The two teams battled through the remainder of the second period scoreless entering the final period knotted at 1-1.

NEC grabbed the lead 5:17 into the third period as  forward Greg Girtatos (Tewksbury, Mass.) scored off a pass from Jarkko Leppanen (Tampere, Finland). Skidmore would have scoring opportunities late but it would be the Pilgrims who would come away with a score as Niko Uola would put in an empty-netter assisted by Leppanen with just three seconds remaining in regulation.

Picking up the win in net for the Pilgrims was Aaron Harvey (Milford, Nova Scotia) who finished with 35 saves. Skidmore's Andrew Ross (McKinney, Texas) recorded 22 saves.

Skidmore is at St. Anselm on Saturday.