SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The Rivier University men’s hockey fell 5-3 Saturday to Skidmore College in the opening game of the Skidmore Tournament.

Skidmore (7-2-1) wasted no time taking the lead in the first 38 seconds of the first period while on an early power play. Connor Wood found the back of the net past the Raiders’ tender. The Thoroughbreds would tack on another power-play goal at 15:16 by Ryan Waltman.

At 19:17, Riv (4-4-1) would get the deficit to 2-1 with their first goal of the contest. Avery Arnold got the Raiders on the board going into the first break after receiving passes from Jon Tavella and Milan Breczko.

Rivier would tie the game up at 2-2 just four minutes into the second period. Tavella would tally his second assist of the day after finding Tyler Duderstadt for the power play goal. Skidmore had just 11 seconds left in the period when they netted their go-ahead goal to go up 3-2 from Zach Lindewirth.

The Thoroughbreds would add to their lead to go up 4-2 just 4:28 into the third period. Jaden York was credited with the score. The Raiders would tally their last goal of the game at 8:50 in on a Kurt Watson score to close to within 4-3, but Skidmore would add one more to get the final of 5-3 on an empty net chance by Kaeden Patrick.

Luke Newell (Littleton, CO) racked up 29 saves with the effort that found him sitting at 2-2-1 on the season. Blaine Moore stayed perfect at 3-0 on the early season saving 20 of the 23 shots faced.

Rivier will play Wilkes College today at 1 p.m. in the consolation round.