SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hobart scored three times over the final 12 minutes and shutout the Skidmore College men's hockey team, 4-0, on Friday. The nationally second-ranked Statesmen are 20-2 and 13-2 in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC). The Thoroughbreds fall to 13-7-2 and 7-6-2.
 

• The game was played scoreless until the 15:28 mark of the second period, when Gagik Malakyan lifted a wrister over Tate Brandon's right shoulder.
• Ignat Belov scored on a tip at the eight-minute mark of the third to double Hobart's lead. Kevin Lassman and Luke Aquaro assisted.
• Then, Aquaro finished off a passing play between the Statesmen's top scoring line to make it 3-0 with 5:47 left.
• Artem Buzoverya, who assisted on Hobart's first goal, completed the scoring with 1:59 left from Tanner Hartman and Brenden Howell.
• Jack Strauss and Zach Frisk had Skidmore's best scoring opportunities, both in the second period. A short Strauss breakaway was stonewalled by Hobart's goalie Damon Beaver when the Skidmore winger made a move to his backhand. Later, Beaver slid over to stop Frisk on a quality one-timer.
• In the third period, a Connor Wood shot grazed off the crossbar.
• The Hobart penalty kill successfully thwarted off each of Skidmore's four power play chances, including an extended 5-on-3 chance in the middle of the first period.
• Shots finished 26-24 Hobart. Danny Magnuson's three shots were the most of any Skidmore player.
• NEXT UP: Skidmore will host Alumni Day on Saturday for its last regular season home game of the season. The pivotal matchup with playoff positioning on the line starts at 4 p.m. against Elmira.