SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's hockey team clawed back from a two-goal deficit but lost to nationally fifth-ranked Hobart in overtime, 4-3.
 
Hobart dominated in extra time before Blake Coffey patiently circled the net and beat Skidmore goalie Tate Brandon high with 2:57 left. The Statesmen are still unbeaten in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) play at 4-0-1 and 7-1-1 overall. The Thoroughbreds drop to 4-4-1 and 1-3-1.
 
Reid Russell scored the tying goal for Skidmore with 7:22 remaining in the third period on the power play. Kaeden Patrick and Will Dow-Kenny had the assists. Hobart built a 3-1 lead at the 8:22 mark of the second period, but Everett Wardle got his fifth goal of the season 47 seconds later on a tap-in rebound after Kyle Delmaestro held the puck in the zone and got it to Patrick for the initial chance.
 
PA Martineau opened the scoring near the mid-way point of the first period when Chase Bell found him open in the slot. Matthew Iasenza collected the secondary helper. Matt Rutigliano finished off a play set up by a rebound off a Zach Frisk shot after Ethan Heidepriem laid back a nifty drop pass to tie it up at 13:42 of the first.
 
Aaron Maguyon put the Statesmen back ahead with just one second remaining on the power play after the Thoroughbreds were unable to get a clear to burn the rest of the time on the penalty kill. Then, Jared Patterson's shot from the point through traffic got through to make it 3-1 at 8:22 of the second period.
 
Brandon made 38 saves for Skidmore, including five on a Hobart power play late in the third period. Prior to the Skidmore minor penalty, the Thoroughbreds held a 10-3 edge in shots in the period. Joe Halstrom turned away 27 shots for the visitors.
 
Each team converted once on the power play. Hobart was 1-for-5, while Skidmore finished 1-for-3.
 
Skidmore will host Elmira, the newest member of the NEHC, on Saturday at 4 p.m.