SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team opened the weekend with a 7-3 loss against Skidmore College on Friday evening at Cairns Arena during Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action. The Purple Knights slipped to 1-5-1 overall and 1-3-1 in the league, while the Thoroughbreds are 4-5 and 3-4.

Junior captain Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy), sophomore Ryan Arsenault (Reading, Mass./New Hampton School) and freshman A.J. Pieprzak (Barrie, Ontario/Ridley College) each tallied for the Purple Knights. Junior Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made 19 saves in a pair of periods, while classmate Eric McGuirk (Rehoboth, Mass./Bridgewater Bandits) had 10 stops in the third stanza while picking up an assist.

Seven different players scored for Skidmore, with senior Tyler Doremus (Aspen, Colo./New England Huskies) and junior Julian Malakorn (Warwick, R.I./Pomfret) recording a goal and an assist apiece. Junior Zack Menard (Burlington, Mass./N.H. Monarchs) assisted a pair of markers, and senior Colin Bessey (Montclair, N.J./Trinity Pawling) made 31 saves.

Geary got the Purple Knights on the board after just 2:50, converting on a short-handed opportunity to create the hosts' lone lead of the contest. Menard played a role in the Thoroughbreds' two ensuing markers during the opening stanza, as Malakorn scored at 8:08 and senior Nick Dupuis (Holyoke, Mass./Springfield Falcons) broke the tie on a power play with 10 seconds left.

Dizgun kept it a one-goal game six minutes into the second period, denying a Thoroughbred 3-on-0 break, but sophomore Tony Giacin (Saint Louis, Mo./North Iowa Outlaws) created breathing room for his team at 6:56. Skidmore stretched its lead to 5-1 before the end of the period by scoring twice in a 3:46 stretch, including once during a short-handed chance.

Arsenault cut into his team's deficit 5:16 into the third period, but Skidmore scored twice more, at 11:46 and 14:40. Pieprzak completed the scoring with a power-play marker at 16:29, converting passes from McGuirk and junior Connor Logan (Shelburne, Vt./Green Mountain Glades).

The Purple Knights host nationally-ranked Castleton State College tomorrow at 3 p.m. The Spartans are third in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll.