The Skidmore College hockey team held off a late charge by SUNY Canton to post a 5-4 season-opening win, Saturday night at the Herb Brooks Arena.
The Thoroughbreds used goals by five different plays in the win.
Skidmore opened a 5-0 lead before Canton mounted a comeback by scoring the game's final four goals.
Zach Arden scored first at 4:59 of the first half from Ondrej Kra and Marc Cibelli. Anthony Bird made it 2-0 at 14:28 from Anders Gundersen and Connor Pelkey. An unassisted goal at 16:53 from Christian Leahy gave the Thoroughbreds a 3-0 lead after one.
Mickey Foley made it 4-0 at 11:22 of the second half and Kenny Nelson extended the lead to 5-0 at 15:17 from Pelkey and Sam Bloom.
Skidmore would need all five of the goals as Canton battled back with four straight goals before time ran out.
Jack McDonald had 28 saves for the Thoroughbreds.