GORHAM, Maine – After trailing 2-0 in the second period the University of Southern Maine Huskies scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds 6-2 on Friday night. Senior Curtis Judd (Newton, Mass./Albany Academy) recorded his first career hat trick and added two assists while linemates junior Austin Marini (Hyde Park, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and Elliot Van Orsdel (Eveleth, Minn./ Eveleth-Gilbert) each recorded multiple points.
 
When and Where: Friday, January 27, 2023 – Gorham, Maine – USM Ice Arena
 
Score: Huskies 6, Thoroughbreds 2
 
The Records: Southern Maine: 5-14-2, 4-10-0 NEHC, Skidmore: 11-6-2, 5-5-2 NEHC
 
The Goaltenders: Sophomore Mason Palmer (Cumming, Ga./Connections Academy): 1-7-1, 34 saves, two goals allowed; Tate Brandon: 8-4-2, 20 saves, five goals allowed. 
 
How It Happened/Inside the Boxscore:

• Neither team scored in the first period as Palmer and Brandon each made nine saves.
• The teams made up for the scoreless first by each scoring twice in the second frame.
• Zach Lindewirth scored for Skidmore 1:12 into the second period and the Thoroughbreds doubled the lead off a Connor Wood goal about six minutes later.
• 14:32 into the second period Palmer collected a loose puck from behind his net and whistled a laser of a pass between two Skidmore skaters to find Judd just ahead of the Thoroughbred blue line giving Judd and Marini a two-on-zero opportunity against Brandon. Judd fed the puck to Marini who beat Brandon for his fifth goal of the season. Palmer recorded the second assist of his career on the goal.
• Judd tied the game at 2-2 in the final minute with a power play goal that was assisted by Nolan McElhaney (Natick, Mass./Long Island University) and Kadin Ilott (Kenora, ON, Canada).
• Judd's second goal of the game came off the rebound of a Van Orsdel shot 1:17 into the third period with.
• A miscue by the Thoroughbreds led to a fourth Husky goal when a loose puck crossed the goal line with Van Orsdel being credited as the goal scorer for his first career goal.
• Marini scored his second goal of the game off a one-timer that was passed to him by Judd from behind the Skidmore net for his sixth goal of the season.
• The hat trick was completed by Judd on an empty netter 14:19 into the third period.
• Judd's five-point performance ties him the fourth-most points in a game in program history and his hat trick is the first for the Huskies since Tyler Mathieu netted three goals against Castleton on 2/8/2019.
• Judd now has 14 goals on the season and nine assists for 23 total points.

 
Up Next: The Huskies continue NEHC play tomorrow at 4PM against Castleton and will celebrate Senior Day prior to the contest.