Box Score

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Playing its second top-10 team in as many days, the Skidmore College hockey team gave #7 Babson College all it could handle before dropping a 4-2 decision in ECAC East play at the Saratoga Springs City Rink.
 
The Thoroughbreds are 4-14-3 overall and 3-10-1 in the East. The Beavers improve to 15-4-2 and 10-3-1.
 
Babson grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes. Dan Casey scored a power-play goal at 1:26 from Tim Searles and Max Franklin. The trio combined on the second goal 18 seconds later when Searles scored his fourth of the season from Franklin and Casey.  The Beavers took a 3-0 lead into the first break as Mike Driscoll deflected Phil Saviuk's shot from the point into the net at 19:15. Matt McMorrow was credited with the other assist.
 
Skidmore carried the play in the second period, working its way back into the game with a pair of goals. Sam Hudziak scored his first of the season at 5:46 from Sam Bloom. Anthony Bird cut it to 3-2 with a short-handed goal at 17:41 from Connor Pelkey.
 
The Thoroughbreds were whistled for four penalties in the first 7:39 of the third, but the team responded by killing them all off.
 
Once clear of penalty trouble, Skidmore had several chances to tie it, but Babson responded with a pair of its own penalty kills, including one with 3:34 to play. 
 
Josh Haverstrom hit the empty net from deep in his own zone to end the Skidmore threat at 19:15.
 
The Thoroughbreds outshot Babson 33-28. Jack McDonald had 24 saves for Skidmore, including 12 in the third period. Jamie Murray stopped 31 shots for the Beavers.
 
Skidmore was 0-for-6 on the power play, while Babson was 1-for-7.
 
The Thoroughbreds travel to St. Michael's on Feb. 6 for a 7 p.m. game.