SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A pair of second period goals, and a clincher by Nathan Milam (Westland, Mich.) in the third pushed No. 9/10 men's ice hockey past Skidmore College in an ECAC East contest Friday evening at Saratoga Springs Ice Rink.

With the win, the Beacons improve to 16-3-1 overall, 11-2-0 in the conference.  For Skidmore they dropped to 4-13-3, 3-9-1 in the ECAC East.

After surrendering a goal just 35 seconds into the opening period, the Beacons battled back in the second with junior Matt Lemire (Townsend, Mass.) tying the game at 1-1 at 3:30 of the second on the power-play.  Mike Miller (Wrentham, Mass.) and Colin Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) assisted on the then tying goal. 

From there UMass seized control of the momentum, and it was just a matter of time.  The Beacons got their game-winning marker from senior Stephen Buco (North Providence, R.I.) the 13:22 mark, with Mike Kuhn (Holbrook, Mass.) earning the assist on the play. 

By the end of the second period, the Beacons offense was firing on all cylinders as they outshot Skidmore 25-13.

In the final period, UMass peppered the Thoroughbreds for the entire frame.  They combined 15 shots in the period, while the defense held Skidmore to just six chances. 

Milam's goal, which sealed the victory for UMass, came at 13:05, and came off of a Larkin and Kuhn assist.

Between the pipes, Billy Faust improved to 7-0-1 on the year following his 18 save performance.  Jack McDonald went the full 60 minutes, and made 37 stops in the loss (3-12-3). 

On the day, the Beacons penalty kill was solid from start to finish, as they held the Thoroughbreds scoreless on five man-up opportunities.  Lemire's goal marked the lone power-play tally of the contest, as UMass finished 1-for-4.

Men's Hockey returns to action tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Castleton State College for a 4 p.m. ECAC East game.