Skidmore College rallied from a three-goal deficit in the first period and edged Hamilton College 4-3 in a NESCAC/ECAC East men's ice hockey crossover at Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Jan. 22.
Skidmore's Julian Malakorn '13 broke a 3-3 tie with a power-play goal with 8:50 left in the third period. Malakorn scored on a one-timer from the slot. Hunter Thayer '11 and Nick Dupuis '12 were credited with their second assists of the afternoon.
The Thoroughbreds (5-10-2 overall, 4-5-2 ECAC East) trailed 3-0 just seven minutes into the first period. Skidmore coach Neil Sinclair pulled starting goalie Andrew Ross '12 and replaced him with Colin Bessey '12. The move worked as Bessey stopped all 26 shots he faced.
Hamilton (8-6-2, 5-4-2 NESCAC) grabbed a 1-0 lead at 2:40 of the first on the ninth goal this season for Nick Anderson '14 after a scramble in front. Anderson received a five-minute penalty for hitting from behind early in the second period, and didn't play the rest of the game.
The Continentals went up 2-0 at 4:02 on a power-play goal by Michael DiMare '14. Brandon Broad '12 fired a shot from the blue line on goal, the rebound kicked to DiMare and he flicked the puck into the back of the net. Hamilton made it a three-goal lead at 7:01 on the second goal this season for Evan Haney '14. The puck was dumped into the Thoroughbreds' zone and DiMare picked it up to the left of the goal. He fed the puck across the crease to the right post where Haney was waiting. DiMare has eight goals and six assists.
Skidmore started its comeback with 6:11 left in the first period with the first of the Thoroughbreds' three power-play goals. Alex Essaris '12 threw a pass through the crease from right of the goal, and Brendan Cottam '13 scored his fifth goal on a one-timer from below the left circle. Jack Walsh '12 pulled Skidmore within one with 2:52 remaining in the period. Joe Melnyk '11 sent a pass from the left-hand boards to the slot, and Walsh scored on a one-timer.
The Thoroughbreds tied the score just as a 5-on-3 power play expired with 18.5 seconds left in the first. Zack Menard '13 scored his third goal for Skidmore on a slap shot from the top of the left circle.
Hamilton almost broke the tie with about six minutes left in the second period when Andrew Jelinek '13 came down on a breakaway and rifled a shot that clanged off the crossbar. The Continentals pulled goalie Scott Hefferman '11 (19 saves) for an extra skater for the final 62 seconds of the third, but didn't get one past Bessey. Hamilton was 1-for-5 on the power play, and held a 34-23 shot advantage. The Continentals still lead the all-time series, 11-5.
Hamilton travels to the University of Southern Maine for another crossover on Friday, Jan. 28. The Thoroughbreds host Connecticut College for another crossover on Friday as well.
