SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—Anything can happen in the post season and the Skidmore College hockey team is counting on that Saturday when the sixth seed Thoroughbreds take on third seed Hobart College in a New England Hockey Conference quarterfinal game Saturday at 7 p.m. in Geneva.
 
Skidmore is 11-10-4 overall and finished 7-9-2 in the NEHC. The Statesmen (18-4-3, 12-4-2 NEHC) are ranked fifth nationally in the latest USCHO poll and fourth in the Division III Pairwise that determines participants for the NCAA III Tournament. Hobart has won six straight and is 12-1-2 over its last 14 games.
 
The Statesmen won both regular season games against the Thoroughbreds, 4-2 on Jan. 31 in Geneva and 4-1 the next night in Saratoga.
 
Defenseman Austin Rook leads the Thoroughbreds in scoring with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. Fellow blueliner Reid Russell (6-10—16) and Avery Steele (5-8—13) are next on the scoring list that has four players with 12 points.
 
Brandon Kasel has been one of the nation's top net minders with a 2.37 goals against average and .928 save percentage. He is first all-time on Skidmore's career minute list (4626) and is currently first in career goals against average (2.65) and save percentage (.918).
 
Hobart is led by Lawson MacDougall (7-15-22). Alec Robitialle has a team best 12 goals to go along with eight assists. Hobart has used two goalies down the stretch with Liam Lascelle emerging as the number one with a 1.81 GAA and .928 save percentage. He's 6-1-0 all against NEHC foes.
 
The winner will advance to the NEHC semifinals on Feb. 29 at the campuses of the highest remaining two teams.