SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's hockey team received a significant boost from its offense Friday night, shooting its way past Suffolk by a 6-1 score, in New England Hockey Conference action at the Saratoga City Rink.
 
Skidmore (12-9-3, 8-6-3 NEHC) clinches a winning record for the season with the victory and has won the most games since the 2008-09 season. The Thoroughbreds earn the season sweep against Suffolk (8-15, 5-12).

During the game, Skidmore celebrated D.I.F.D. (Do It For Daron) night, unveiling its third jersey. Proceeds from the auctioned jerseys will benefit the DIFD Foundation in Ottawa, Canada.
 
Mike Gelatt scored twice to lead the Thoroughbreds. Corey Morgan, Avery Steele, Tim Allen, and John Litscher also tallied goals. Austin Rook and Will Steele assisted twice. Matt Wolf, Adam Moodie, Jake McCarthy, Misha Mrotchek, and Paul Vella also added assists.
 
Brandon Kasel was near perfect, stopping 25 shots for his ninth victory of the season.
 
Joseph Mortillaro tallied Suffolk's lone goal. Sean Montgomery and Nick Abbene assisted.
 
Skidmore's special teams got the ball rolling in the first period, taking advantage of a Suffolk penalty. On the power play, Will Steele fed Morgan from behind the net, as Morgan punched the opportunity past Suffolk goalie Michael Levine (34 saves) stick side at 11:25. The Thoroughbreds would double up at the 17-minute mark, taking advantage of a Suffolk line change to get a 3-on-1 break. Will Steele and Moodie would find Avery Steele as he finished an easy opportunity at net. Skidmore would also set the tempo physically in the opening period with a few big hits that sent the Weibel Arena fans to its feet.
 
Skidmore would do much of the same in the second, coming out of the locker rooms with gusto. Just 47 seconds in, Rook found Allen in front of net, who quickly pushed it past the Suffolk goalie for his sixth goal of the season. Midway through the period (13:18), Gelatt would get the first of his two goals, grabbing the rebound off a missed Rook shot, scoring off a few chances at net.
 
Gelatt would score again 1:50 into the third period, with Mrotchek assisting. The Thoroughbreds wrapped up the scoring with another goal off a rebound at 8:23, as Litscher got his third of the season. Vella tallied his eighth assist of the season.
 
Suffolk would eventually end the shutout with a power-play goal at 13:23. Skidmore fought off a 5-on-3 situation, but Mortillaro scored with the single-man advantage.
 
Skidmore outshot Suffolk by a 40-26 margin.
 
The Thoroughbreds will finish the regular season on Saturday against Johnson & Wales, at the Saratoga City Rink at 4 p.m.