Skidmore (6-4-1) vs. #11/#9 Hamilton (6-0-2)
Game Details: Sunday, Jan. 1 | 4:00 p.m.
Location: Clinton, N.Y. – Clinton Arena
Game Links: Video
Skidmore: Roster | Stats
Hamilton: Roster | Stats
 
Skidmore (6-4-1) vs. #11/#9 Hamilton (6-0-2)
Game Details: Monday, Jan. 2 | 4:00 p.m.
Location: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Saratoga City Rink
Game Links: Live Stats | Video
Skidmore: Roster | Stats
Hamilton: Roster | Stats
 
The Skidmore College men's hockey team begins the new year with a big home-and-home non-league matchup against undefeated Hamilton College. The Thoroughbreds will travel to Hamilton to take on the Continentals on New Year's Day at 4 p.m., and both teams will head to the Saratoga City Rink as Skidmore hosts on Monday, Jan. 2, also at 4 p.m.
 
The Thoroughbreds (6-4-1) get back into action after a month-long break. Skidmore last played on Dec. 2-3, when it hosted ranked Hobart for a weekend series. Both games went into overtime; the Thoroughbreds fell 2-1 to the Statesmen on Friday evening, then rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the Statesmen 2-2 Saturday afternoon.
 
Anthony Bird leads the team in scoring with 10 points on seven goals and three assists; his seven goals are tied for second in the New England Hockey Conference. He is tied for second nationally with two shorthanded goals. Right behind him is Corey Morgan, who leads all defensive players with eight points on three goals and five assists. Morgan, Marc Cibelli, Tim Allen, and Quincy Gregg each share the assist lead with five.
 
In goal, both Jack McDonald and Brandon Kasel have shared duties between the pipes. In eight games, McDonald has a 2.06 goals against average and a .936 save percentage, both fourth in the conference as he holds a 3-3-1 record. Kasel has had a strong rookie season so far with a 3-1 record in four games. Kasel has a 3.20 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
 
The Thoroughbreds have excelled in special teams this season. Skidmore is currently 12th in the country in the penalty kill (87.3 percent) and ninth in combined special teams (63-for-113; 55.8 percent).
 
Hamilton, ranked 11th in the latest USCHO.com polls, and ninth in the latest d3hockey.com polls, comes into the matchup as the last remaining undefeated team in all of college hockey. The Continentals, members of the NESCAC, last played on Dec.10, when they tied league foe Williams 3-3 on the road.
 
Leading the way on defense is Hamilton goaltender Evan Buitenhuis, who leads the NESCAC with a 1.26 goals against average and .961 save percentage. On offense, Jon Carkeek (2 goals, 4 assists) and Bennett Morrison (5 assists) are two of the top point-producing defensemen in the conference with six and five respectively.

The Continentals' offense is led by Jason Brochu, Rory Gagnon and Neil Conway with eight points each. Brochu and Brandon Willett have scored four goals apiece, and Gagnon and Conway are tied with Morrison for the team lead with five assists.
 
Hamilton has been a stingy defense all season as they have allowed just 1.38 goals per game, second in the nation. The Continentals are 11th in scoring margin (1.88).
 
Last season, Hamilton swept both games of the season series, beating Skidmore 4-1 on New Year's Day of 2016 at home, then defeating Skidmore 3-1 the next day in Saratoga Springs. The Thoroughbreds last defeated the Continentals 4-3 on Jan. 22, 2011, when both teams were members of the ECAC-East.