PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Skidmore College men's hockey team clinched a playoff spot and closed in on home ice advantage as it captured a season sweep over Plattsburgh State with a 3-2 win at the Stafford Ice Arena on Friday evening.
- Skidmore improves to 12-9-2 and 9-6-1 in the SUNYAC for 20 points. The Thoroughbreds are fourth with two games remaining in the regular season. Skidmore can finish no worse than a tie for fourth. One more point, or a Canton loss or tie, will clinch Skidmore home ice advantage in the SUNYAC Quarterfinal on Feb. 25.
- Plattsburgh drops to 12-11 and 8-8 for 16 points.
- The Thoroughbreds surrendered an early goal, but answered within seconds before striking for the game winner early in the third period and shutting the door from there.
- Tommy Aitken turned in another superb performance, finishing with 45 saves for Skidmore including 18 stops in the third period.
- It was the first time a Skidmore goalie recorded 40 or more saves since Tate Brandon '24 had 51 in the NEHC Championship game in 2024.
- Bryce Terry, Cooper Rice, and Dylan Shane were the goal scorers for the Thoroughbreds.
- Alexander Moliner put the hosts up 68 seconds in, but Terry scored on a rebound off a Tyler Fogu shot 14 seconds later to tie it up. Bryan Tang also assisted.
- Rice made it 2-1 Skidmore at the 12:47 mark of the second period when he found a wide open net thanks to an uber fortuitous bounce behind Plattsburgh's goal line. Jacob Zwirecki got the assist on the dump in.
- Spencer Bellina tied it up again for the Cardinals with a tally 1:58 into the second.
- Then, at 4:18, Shane ripped one through that trickled past Plattsburgh netminder Beau Lane and in to give Skidmore the lead for good. Bryson Russell and Oscar Worob assisted.
- Aitken was relied on for 14 saves the rest of the way, including five key stops with an extra Plattsburgh attacker.
- The hosts finished with a 46-34 edge in shots. Lane stopped 31.
- Plattsburgh went 0-for-3 on the power play. Skidmore was 0-for-2. Only one penalty was called after the first period.
- The win marks Skidmore's first in eight tries at Plattsburgh going back to the 2003 season.
UP NEXT
Skidmore will complete the regular season next weekend on the road at Canton and Potsdam.
