SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — This Saturday at the Saratoga City Rink, the No. 3 Skidmore College Thoroughbreds (17-6-2) will host the No. 6 UMass Boston Beacons (9-14-2) face off in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Quarterfinal.
Skidmore and UMass Boston meet in the NEHC Quarterfinal for the third time this season. Skidmore swept the regular season matchup. Skidmore is looking for its third straight semifinal appearance and to return to the conference title game for the second time in three years. It is Skidmore’s first home playoff game since 2012: a 3-2 win over UMass Boston.
Skidmore’s goalie Tate Brandon was named the NEHC Goaltender of the Year on Thursday. He was joined on the First Team by Danny Magnuson. Kaeden Patrick earned All-NEHC Second Team honors. Patrick is Skidmore’s leading scorer with 13 goals and 13 assists. Everett Wardle is second with seven goals and 17 assists. Magnuson (8-15—23) is third. Between the pipes, Brandon is 17-4-2 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.
For UMass Boston, Kevin Sadovski represented the Beacons on the Second Team.
Skidmore, ranked No. 13 nationally, is eighth in the nation in scoring defense allowing just 1.92 goals per game. The Thoroughbreds are also seventh in assists (164) and eighth in points (254).
Jude Kurtas paces the Beacons offensively. He has eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points. He leads the team in all three categories. Jack Mortson is tied for the team lead with eight goals and is second with 16 points. Sam Best is 7-8 as UMB’s primary netminder with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. UMass Boston is in the top half of the NEHC with a 76.3 percent penalty kill.
Nationally, Skidmore enters play this weekend ranked twelfth in the Feb. 12 Pairwise Rankings. Hobart is No. 1, Elmira is No. 6, Norwich is No. 15, and UMB is No. 44.
After the nine automatic berths are handed out, four additional teams will be awarded with at-large selections to the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Skidmore closed the regular season last weekend with a road split on a 3-1 win at No. 5 Elmira and a 5-1 loss at No.1 Hobart.
UMass Boston also split last weekend with travel partner Johnson & Wales.
This year, Skidmore beat UMass Boston both times. It was a 7-3 Skidmore win in November in Boston followed by a 4-0 home triumph by the Thoroughbreds in Jan. Skidmore has won each of the last five meetings with UMass Boston. In the head-to-head series dating back to 2000, Skidmore leads 20-17-5. The teams last met in the postseason in 2022 in Boston. Skidmore came up with a 5-3 win before upsetting Hobart to make it to its first NEHC title game. UMass Boston is winless in its last five postseason games, including an NCAA Tournament game against Manhattanville in 2019.
The other quarterfinals feature No. 8 Castleton at No. 1 Hobart, No. 7 Southern Maine at No. 2 Norwich, and No. 5 Babson at No. 4 Elmira.
The winner advances to the NEHC Semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 24. All teams are reseeded after each round.
![CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — Recently, the Suburban Council Cheerleading All-League First Team members were named at the Suburban Council Cheerleading Championships at Shenendehowa High School. Listed below are all of the First Team members: Kate Abramson, Shenendehowa (Grade 12) Elizabeth Beams, Columbia (Grade 11) Kendra Charland, Colonie (Grade 11) Miranda Diaz, Albany (Grade 12) Carmella Dobson, Saratoga (Grade 10) Brianna Dudley, Saratoga (Grade 11) Eni Elefontuyi, Niskayuna (Grade 12) Nevaeh Harrison, Shaker (Grade 10) Savannah Hulett, Colonie (Grade 11) Adam O’Connor, Saratoga (Grade 12) Karley Ouderkirk, Shaker (Grade 12) Jayden Phoenix, Shaker (Grade 12) Abagael Taylor, Shaker (Grade 11) Elana […]](https://www.saratogian.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/First-Team-2024.jpg?w=525 "CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — Recently, the Suburban Council Cheerleading All-League First Team members were named at the Suburban Council Cheerleading Championships at Shenendehowa High School. Listed below are all of the First Team members: Kate Abramson, Shenendehowa (Grade 12) Elizabeth Beams, Columbia (Grade 11) Kendra Charland, Colonie (Grade 11) Miranda Diaz, Albany (Grade 12) Carmella Dobson, Saratoga (Grade 10) Brianna Dudley, Saratoga (Grade 11) Eni Elefontuyi, Niskayuna (Grade 12) Nevaeh Harrison, Shaker (Grade 10) Savannah Hulett, Colonie (Grade 11) Adam O’Connor, Saratoga (Grade 12) Karley Ouderkirk, Shaker (Grade 12) Jayden Phoenix, Shaker (Grade 12) Abagael Taylor, Shaker (Grade 11) Elana […]")
![LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — A recent Siena Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and men’s basketball legend, Doremus Bennerman is set to have his storied career further immortalized Sunday. Bennerman will have his No. 23 jersey retired and unfurled from the MVP Arena rafters to highlight the 30th Anniversary celebration of the historic 1994 Siena Men’s Basketball NIT team at halftime of Sunday’s men’s basketball game vs. Canisius tipping at 2 p.m. Bennerman will become the fifth Siena Men’s Basketball legend – and first in a dozen years – to have his number retired and hung from the MVP Arena rafters, joining […]](https://www.saratogian.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Siena-mbb-1.jpg?w=620 "LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — A recent Siena Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and men’s basketball legend, Doremus Bennerman is set to have his storied career further immortalized Sunday. Bennerman will have his No. 23 jersey retired and unfurled from the MVP Arena rafters to highlight the 30th Anniversary celebration of the historic 1994 Siena Men’s Basketball NIT team at halftime of Sunday’s men’s basketball game vs. Canisius tipping at 2 p.m. Bennerman will become the fifth Siena Men’s Basketball legend – and first in a dozen years – to have his number retired and hung from the MVP Arena rafters, joining […]")