SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College ice hockey team is back in action this weekend, hosting the 13^th annual Skidmore College Thanksgiving Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 25.
 
The Thoroughbreds will take on Division II Post University in the opening game Saturday at 2 p.m. No. 6/9 Salve Regina, the NCAA Division III Tournament Finalists from last season, will take on Bryn Athyn in the second game at 5 p.m. The semifinal winners will compete for the tournament championship at 4 p.m. on Sunday, with the consolation game beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Live stats and video will be available for all four games of the tournament. The event is sponsored in part by the Druthers Brewing Company, The Barrelhouse, the Adirondack Trust Company, and the Hilton Garden Inn Saratoga.
 
"We want to thank all of our supporters and sponsors, in particular the "Stable Club", for their contributions to the program—we could not do what we do without their help and generosity," said head coach Rob Hutchison.
 
Skidmore (3-2-1, 2-1-1 New England Hockey Conference) comes into the weekend after an impressive sweep of NEHC foes New England College (5-2) and Southern Maine (4-1). The Thoroughbreds have averaged 3.17 goals per game and 4.33 goals per game in its three victories this season.
 
Leading the way offensively are sophomore forwards Matt Muzyka and Brandon Borges. Muzyka leads the team with four goals to go along with three assists, and Borges leads the team with five assists to go along with his two goals. Junior forward Owen Campbell is third with five points (one goal, four assists), with senior forward and captain Adam Moodie right behind with four points (two goals, two assists). 18 Thoroughbreds have tallied a point after six contests this season, with nine players tallying three or more points in a balanced scoring attack.
 
Defensively, freshmen Reid Russell and Austin Rook, and senior Corey Morgan each have three points. On the other end, they've helped keep opposing teams off the board, allowing just three goals over the last two games. In net, junior netminder Brandon Kasel has a 2.20 goals against average with a .924 save percentage in five games played.
 
Post University comes into the weekend with a 2-4 overall record. The Eagles fell to Western New England by a 4-2 score in their last matchup on Tuesday. Post, a Division II Independent, beat Anna Maria and Westfield State in its two victories.
 
Sophomore forward Evan Lugo leads the Eagles with eight points (three goals, five assists). Fellow sophomore forward Anthony Giacomin leads the team with four goals, adding three assists for seven points. In net, sophomore Brandon Brown and freshman Joseph McLeod split time in net. Brown has a 2.41 goals against average and a .938 save percentage in 174 minutes played, while McLeod has a 4.46 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 161 minutes. Defensively, Post has been strong in the penalty kill, among the national leaders in that category (29-of-32, 90.6% success rate).
 
Salve Regina, ranked sixth in the latest d3hockey.com poll and ninth in the USCHO.com poll, skates into the weekend with a 4-1-1 record, with all of its games coming in Commonwealth Coast Conference action. Last weekend, the Seagulls swept Endicott 6-3 and 5-1. Salve Regina is a high-powered offense, averaging 4.33 points per game through six contests.
 
Leading the team is sophomore forward Paul Boutoussov with 10 points on eight goals and two assists. He's third nationally with 1.33 goals per game and is tied for the national lead with two shorthanded goals. Sophomore defender John McLean is second with seven points (four goals, three assists). Freshman defender Matthew Dillon and freshman forward Matthew Kinney share the team lead with six assists. Senior goaltender Blake Wojtala has played every minute in net for the Seagulls. He has a 2.79 goals against average to go along with a .926 save percentage.
 
Bryn Athyn, in its second year of Division III hockey, has a 2-5 record entering the weekend. In its last contest, the Lions defeated King's College by a 6-2 score. The Lions finished their inaugural hockey season with a solid 9-12-1 record, and the young team returns many of its top scorers for this season.
 
Leading the way for Bryn Athyn is freshman defender Devin Becker with nine points on six assists and three goals. He is seventh among freshmen and 10^th among all defenders nationally with 1.29 points per game. He's supported by junior forwards Nikita Smirnov (two goals and four assists for six points) and Vojtěch Luža (two goals and two assists for four points). In net, sophomore McKenzie Chalmers has played in seven contests, posting a 3.60 goals against average and an .893 save percentage.