SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With goals from Everett Wardle and Kevin Urquhart coupled with another Tate Brandon shutout, the Skidmore College men's hockey team defeated New England College, 2-0, on Saturday.
 

• Skidmore did not allow a goal all weekend following Friday's scoreless tie with #9 Norwich.
• Brandon had 23 saves and stopped all 50 shots that he saw over the weekend. Going back to the third period of the Albertus Magnus game last weekend, Brandon has not allowed a goal in 178:54. He has made 75 saves in a row over that period. For the good of the order, he also had an assist for his first-career point.
• Wardle scored on the power play on a rebound to put Skidmore on the board at 3:05 of the period. After an NEC clear, all four killers changed leading to a rare goalie assist. Brandon shipped the puck to Wardle for a 2-on-0 with Ethan Heidepriem, who also got an assist on the goal.
• Skidmore doubled its lead at the 8:43 mark of the second period. Skidmore won an offensive-zone faceoff leading to a point shot by Will Dow-Kenny. It was partially blocked but went right to the stick of Jack Strauss. He threw it in front and Urquhart swung away before connecting on his second attempt on the backhand. Both Dow-Kenny and Strauss had assists.
• The second goal came soon after Urquhart appeared to score earlier in the shift, but the play was blown dead for a frozen puck in the crease.
• Skidmore's penalty kill kept its strong streak to start the year going with four more successful kills to improve to 92.9 percent (26-for-28).
• At 6-0-1, the Thoroughbreds are one of just five teams (St. Scholastica, Bethel, Plattsburgh, Utica) that has played at least three games and is still unbeaten. Skidmore is 3-0-1 in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) for 10 points and trails Norwich, with two games at hand, by just one point.
• NEC is 1-5-1 and 0-5-1.
• The Pilgrims managed just three shots on goal in 6:34 of power-play time. Their best chance to score was just before the mid-way point of the second period. Brandon slid to his left to make a nice glove save on NEC's Paul Waldhauser on a 2-on-1 rush.  
• Shots finished 29-23 Skidmore. Danny Miscavish had 27 saves in the effort for NEC.

 
NEXT UP: Skidmore will host the Skidmore Thanksgiving Invitational next Saturday and Sunday. Skidmore plays Tufts on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. Brockport and Salve Regina will play in the other game at 5 p.m.