SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The Skidmore College hockey team held off Elmira College for a 3-2 New England Hockey Conference win Saturday evening at the Saratoga Springs City Rink.
 
The Thoroughbreds are 5-4-1 overall and 2-3-1 in NEHC play, while the Soaring Eagles drop to 6-3-1 and 3-2-1.
 
Mason Beecher's power-play goal at 10:47 of the first put Skidmore up 1-0. Matt Rutigliano and Danny Magnuson assisted. Will Dow-Kenny found the back of the net at 14:32 from Ehtan Heidepriem and Reid Russell at 14:32 to give the Thoroughbreds a 2-0 lead at the first break.
 
Elmira had the lone goal in a penalty-filled second period. Chance Gorman scored a power-play goal at 7:48 from Jared Smith and Jake Russo to cut the Skidmore lead to 2-1 after two.
 
Everett Wardle tallied his team-high sixth goal of the season to put Skidmore back up by two, 3-1 at 10:00 of the third. Kaeden Patrick and Dow-Kenny had the helpers. Elmira pulled its goalie and it payed off when Gorman scored at 19:06 form Amedeo Mastrangeli and Nicholas Domitrovic.  
 
The Thoroughbreds survived a continued Soaring Eagle attack over the final seconds to preserve the 3-2 win.
 
Skidmore had a 33-32 shot advantage. Tate Brandon stopped 30 shots, including 12 in the third period for the win. Chris Janzen had 30 saves for Elmira.
 
The Thoroughbreds wrap the first semester Dec. 10 at home against travel-partner Castleton University at 7 p.m.