SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College ice hockey team is back in action this weekend, finishing 2018 with a home-and-home series with Hamilton this upcoming Sunday and Monday.
 
The Thoroughbreds will head to historic Clinton Arena on Sunday, Dec. 30 for a 4 p.m. game, before the teams head to Saratoga Springs and the Saratoga City Rink for a New Year's Eve contest, also at 4 p.m.
 
Skidmore (6-5-1, 4-3-1 New England Hockey Conference) picked up a pair of NEHC victories in its last games played, defeating Johnson & Wales 7-3 on Dec. 7 and Suffolk 4-3 on Dec. 8. The 11-goal barrage was the most goals Skidmore has scored in a two-game span this season. The Thoroughbreds look to maintain that production despite the 22-day layoff.

"The Hamilton series is always ultra-competitive," said Skidmore ice hockey head coach Rob Hutchison '07. "It's nice to step outside of league play upon returning from break to see different personnel and styles of play--Hamilton is a well-coached, deep team that plays a disciplined brand of hockey from the back end out and we'll need to work to get our opportunities. Practices have been designed to allow us to build upon our strong finish to the first term, while really focusing in on the details that will allow for us to be successful in the second half."
 
Scoring as a whole has shot up for Skidmore this season, who have already equaled its wins total (6) from last season. The Thoroughbreds have scored 43 goals through 12 games played, nearly equaling their production from last season (48 goals). Skidmore's 3.58 goals per game ranks 21^st in the nation. On the defensive end, the Thoroughbreds have sported improved penalty kill units, and the squad is 20^th in the country in penalty kill percentage (43/50, 86 percent, compared from 79.7 percent last season).
 
Individually, Matt Muzyka leads the team with 16 points on eight goals and eight assists. He's been on a scoring tear, tallying at least a point in his last eight games played. Classmate Brandon Borges is right behind with 11 points, tied for the team lead with eight assists. Tim Allen, Owen Campbell, and Austin Rook are tied for third with nine points each. Classmates Allen and Campbell each have four goals and five assists, while Rook, the NEHC Rookie of the Week on Dec. 10, leads all Thoroughbred freshman with three goals and six assists. He's also third among NEHC defenders and sixth among all NEHC rookies with 0.75 points per contest.
 
In net, Brandon Kasel has tallied a 2.75 goals against average and a .908 save percentage in nine starts. Brian Kowalski has come up big with victories in his last two starts, posting a 3.21 overall goals against average and an .893 save percentage.
 
Hamilton comes into the home-and-home series with a 4-3-1 overall record and a 2-2-1 mark in NESCAC play. The Continentals split in its last two contests, both on the road. Hamilton defeated Middlebury 4-3 on Dec. 7, but were shutout 3-0 at Williams the next day.
 
Hamilton, like Skidmore, sports a solid penalty kill unit. The Continentals have stopped 20 of 23 power-play chances (87 percent), good for 17^th in the nation. Hamilton is also one of the least penalized teams in the nation, allowing just 8.4 penalty minutes per contest. Individually, the Continentals are led offensively by Jason Brochu, who leads the team with eight points on four goals and four assists. Rory Gagnon (three goals, three assists) and Nick Ursitti (two goals, four assists) are tied with six points apiece. Nick Rutigliano (two goals, four assists) leads all defenders, also tied for second with six points.
 
 Anthony Tirabassi has played the lion's share of minutes in net for the Continentals, as the goalie sports a 2.41 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in seven starts. Pete Negron stopped 31 shots in his lone start, a 3-2 victory over Wilkes on Nov. 20.
 
Skidmore will be looking for its first victory against Hamilton since 2011, a 4-3 win on Jan. 22. Hamilton has won the last seven games between the two teams in the all-time series.