RUTLAND, Vt. – The Skidmore College men's hockey team punched its ticket to the 2023 New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Tournament with a 6-2 road win at Castleton University on Tuesday evening. The Skidmore win avenges an overtime loss to the Spartans a week ago.
 

• Skidmore improves to 13-6-2 and 7-5-2 (24 points) in the NEHC. The Thoroughbreds are in fifth place in the league, but just two points behind third-place Babson and one point behind Elmira. Castleton slips to 6-15 and 4-10 (11 points). The Spartans are in a tight battle for the eighth and final playoff spot.
• Jaden York and Mason Beecher scored two goals apiece for Skidmore.
• Kaeden Patrick and Matthew Monk accounted for the remaining two Thoroughbred goals.
• Nick Cozzi, Zach Frisk, and Devon Mussio each registered a pair of assists. Five different players pitched in with assists: Connor Wood, Everett Wardle, Jack Strauss, Thomas Finck, Will Dow-Kenny.
• Tate Brandon made 33 saves for his 10^th win of the year.
• The Thoroughbreds came out swinging with two goals in the opening seven minutes and a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. Skidmore added a pair within 2:21 of the start of the second period to take a 5-0 lead.
• Castleton won the third period, 2-1, and skated away with an 18-9 advantage in shots in the frame.
• Shots on goal were 37-35 overall for Skidmore.
• Both teams connected once on the power play.
• NEXT UP: Skidmore will host #2 Hobart and Elmira Feb. 3-4 for its final home games of the regular season.