GORHAM, MAINE – Goals by Matt Muzyka and Adam Moodie powered the Skidmore College men's hockey team, as the Thoroughbreds skate to a 2-2 tie with Southern Maine in NEHC action at the USM Ice Arena Saturday afternoon.
 
Skidmore and USM each pick up their first NEHC point of the season. Skidmore record exits the weekend with a 0-2-1 mark overall and a 0-1-1 record in league play. Southern Maine's record stands at 0-1-1 after a pair of conference games to open the campaign.
 
The first period saw lots of back-and-forth action between two teams itching for its first victory of the young season. On a Skidmore 4-on-3 power play, Brandon Borges and Tyler Hall had solid chances from the opposite wings, but both chances were denied by Southern Maine goaltender Anthony D'Aloisio. With the clock ticking on the Skidmore power play, a tipped pass by Ethan Bassile led to a 1-on-1 break with a Thoroughbred defender, Bassile made a move to get past the defense and got past Skidmore goalie Brian Kowalski, to open the scoring at 8:43.
 
Later in the period, Jake McCarthy had his own chance with a 1-on-1 with the goalie, but his chance was denied at the goal line by D'Aloisio.
 
Skidmore saw an early chance in what turned out to be a frantic second period. Chris Javens, after a solid defensive play, found himself all alone with D'Aloisio. He made a move to his right, but his quick shot to the Huskie goalie's glove side was snatched away.
 
Persistence paid off for the Thoroughbreds midway through, as Skidmore tied the game on the power-play. Tim Allen found Paul Vella, who ripped a shot towards the scrum in front of net. The shot bounced off the Southern Maine goalie, but the puck found Matt Muzyka, who knocked in his second of the season into the open net at 10:11.
 
The tie wouldn't last for long, as the Huskies broke the tie at 18:40. A rebound on the 2-on-1 rush beat Kowalski, as Blue Hayler found the net after a shot by Sasha Makarov. That lead lasted for all of 13 seconds, as Skidmore raced back to tie things up at two. This time, the captain, Adam Moodie, found the rebound off a Tim Allen shot and pushed the puck over the Huskie goalie. Muzyka added the extra assist on the goal at 18:53.
 
Skidmore and Southern Maine battled through a scoreless third session, but the Huskies threatened late. Kowalski, making his first career start in net, made a pair of huge saves to force the extra session.

With under 30 seconds to go in overtime, Allen and Moodie each had shots at goal off face-offs deep in the Southern Maine zone, but it was denied by the goaltender each time, as the teams eventually skated to a tie.

Shots were even at 29, with Kowalski and D'Aloisio each tallying 27 saves.

The Thoroughbreds return home next Friday, hosting defending NCAA Division III champion Norwich at the Saratoga City Rink. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.