NEHC Quarterfinal
#5 Skidmore (10-11-4, 9-6-3 NEHC) at #4 Castleton (10-9-6, 9-5-4 NEHC)
Game Details: Saturday, February 18 | 7 p.m.
Location: Rutland, Vt. – Spartan Arena
Game Links: Stats |
Video
Skidmore: Roster |
Stats
Castleton: Roster |
Stats
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Skidmore College men's hockey team begins NEHC postseason play when it travels to Spartan Arena in Rutland, Vt. to face fourth-seeded Castleton in the conference quarterfinal game on Saturday. Opening face-off is slated for 7 p.m.
Skidmore (10-11-4, 9-6-3 NEHC) finished its season on a roll, unbeaten in its last four games (2-0-2), and are 3-1-2 in the last six contests. The Thoroughbreds wrapped up the regular season with a pair of road victories, shutting out Daniel Webster 3-0 on Friday, and defeating the University of Southern Maine 2-1 on Saturday. The Thoroughbreds doubled their wins in year two under head coach
Rob Hutchison, earning the fifth seed in the NEHC tournament. Skidmore also finished with a winning record in conference play for the first time since the 2011-12 season in the old ECAC-East.
Three Skidmore players were honored on Thursday, as the league announced its end of season awards. Senior co-captain and forward
Anthony Bird was named to the league's first team. Bird, a repeat first-team selection from 2016, is sixth in the league, leading all Thoroughbreds with 21 points. His 11 goals finished third in the NEHC, and is third among all Division III players with four shorthanded goals. Senior forward and co-captain
Marc Cibelli was named to the league's third team, earning an all-league selection for the first time. He is tied for the Thoroughbred lead in assists with 12, and is third on the team with 16 points. Freshman goaltender
Brandon Kasel was named to the league's rookie team, after posting a 6-3-2 record, complete with a 2.51 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. He leads all NEHC freshmen in save percentage, and is second among the conference's freshmen in goals against average and winning percentage. He has both of Skidmore's shutouts this season, against New England College in his collegiate debut on Nov. 4, and against Daniel Webster this past Friday.
The Thoroughbreds will take on travel partner and league rival
Castleton (10-9-6, 9-5-4 NEHC) on Saturday. Castleton earned the fourth seed in the tournament, finishing just a point ahead of Skidmore. This season, both teams have played to a pair of draws, playing to a 2-2 tie on Feb. 3 in Saratoga Springs, and a 3-3 tie the next day at Spartan Arena in Rutland, Vt.
Castleton is led by Patrick Thornton, who tied for the team lead with 14 assists, garnering 15 total points. He was named to the NEHC's third team on Thursday. Brock Labelle leads the team in points, scoring 20 points on six goals and 14 assists. Bart Moran leads the team with 10 goals. In net, Ryan Mulder will be the likely starter. In 19 starts this season, Mulder has compiled a 2.32 goals against average and a .911 save percentage, leading to a 9-5-5 record.
This is only the second time the teams have played in the postseason. Castleton won the first postseason meeting in 2012 by a 4-0 score.
Other NEHC matchups this weekend includes No. 2-seeded New England College hosting No. 7 Southern Maine, and No. 3 Babson playing host to No. 6 UMass-Boston. Norwich earned the top seed for the NEHC tournament, as well as a bye into the semifinal round. The Cadets will host the lowest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round.
