BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Everett Wardle (Hewlett, N.Y.) tallied a goal and an assist, including the go-ahead goal at 8:18 of the third period as Skidmore College defeated No. 14 Babson College, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's ice hockey action inside the Babson Skating Center.

With the loss, the Beavers dropped to 13-7-2 overall and 8-5-2 in the NEHC while the Thoroughbreds snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 12-6-2 overall and 6-5-2 in league play.

First-year Ian Driscoll (Middleton, Mass.) scored the lone goal for the Beavers and classmate Will Holland (Charlotte, N.C.) picked up an assist. Senior goalie Nolan Hildebrand (Penticton, B.C.) made 15 saves in the setback.

Sophomore Kaeden Patrick (Vancouver, B.C.) matched Wardle with a goal and an assist for the Thoroughbreds and classmate Jaden York (Beaumont, Alb.) and first-year Connor Wood (St. Albans, Vt.) added one assist apiece. Junior goalie Tate Brandon (Irvington, N.Y.) made 34 saves to record the win in goal for the visitors.

After killing of a penalty in the first four minutes of the game, Skidmore scored the only goal of the opening frame. During a transition rush, Wood lifted a backhander on goal from the bottom of the left faceoff circle which was stopped by Hildebrand but Patrick buried the rebound for his 11h goal of the season and a 1-0 lead at 7:31.

Both teams killed off penalties in the second period although sophomore Zach Lindewirth (Gillette, N.J.) nearly stuffed in the puck from point-blank range at the end of a Skidmore man-advantage but was denied by Hildebrand. Moments later Brandon returned the favor for Skidmore, denying junior Thomas Kramer (Bridgewater, Mass.) on a Babson 2-on-0 rush to preserve the Thoroughbred lead.

The Beavers finally got on the scoreboard late in the second period after Holland broke up a Skidmore clearing attempt along the right boards. Driscoll collected the loose puck and fired a wrister through traffic that snuck between the pads of Brandon for his fifth of the season and knotted the score at 1-1 heading into the third period.

Babson nearly took the lead two minutes into the third period when a Skidmore turnover led to a breakaway for sophomore Wyatt George (Mount Lebanon, Pa.) but he was denied by Brandon.

Wardle scored what proved to be the game-winner at the 8:18 mark, picking up a loose puck behind the Beaver net, skating out to the left circle, spinning and firing a shot through traffic that beat Hildebrand through the pads.

The hosts had a 14-2 advantage in shots in the third period but could not get one past Brandon, including the last two minutes with an extra skater after pulling Hildebrand.

Babson finished with a 35-17 margin in shots and went 0-for-2 on the power play. Skidmore came up empty on its only power play attempt.

The Beavers make their final road trip of the regular season next weekend, traveling to New England College on February 3 and No. 8 Norwich on February 4. Skidmore plays a make-up game on Tuesday at Castleton.

GAME NOTES
• Skidmore snapped a 23-game winless streak (0-21-2) against Babson that dates back to 2013 but Babson leads the all-time series 38-7-3.
• The Beavers were defeated at home for just the third time in 10 games this season (6-3-1) and are 21-5-3 at the Babson Skating Center since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
• The Green and White dropped their second game of the season (4-2-1) when the score was tied heading into the third period.
• Kramer had a five-game points streak snapped after scoring three goals and four assists in that span.