RUTLAND, Vt. – Bart Moran scored a pair of third-period goals to lead Castleton to a 4-2 victory over the Skidmore Thoroughbreds this evening in New England Hockey Conference action at Spartan Arena. 

The Spartans held the advantage in shots (34-32) and face-offs (37-36) en route to their third win in their last four games. Moran led the attack with two goals, while Corbin Marcotte and Simon Teodorsson added one goal apiece. Ryan Mulder picked up the win in net with 30 saves, as the squad improved to 7-15-1 on the year. 

Mickey Foley was the top scorer for the Thoroughbreds, who dropped to 5-14-4 overall (5-8-3), with two points from one goal and one assist. Dennis Maier netted the other goal, while Luke Alletzhauser and Max Heggie recorded assists. Jack McDonald suffered the loss despite turning in a 30-save performance. 

The Spartans wasted little time to take the lead after Teodorsson netted his fourth goal of the season just 7:13 into the game. The sophomore stole the puck in the neutral zone before skating past a defender and finishing a wrister top shelf to put the hosts in front, 1-0.

Just over four minutes later, Skidmore nearly found an answer when Anthony Bird had a one-on-one opportunity. The junior skated clear of the defense and put a fantastic effort on net, but Mulder came up with a huge save to deny the shot and maintain the one-goal, Spartan lead.

Marcotte doubled the Spartan lead at the 7:06 mark in the 2nd when he collected a rebound in the crease and slipped the puck past McDonald. However, the Thoroughbreds responded just more than a minute later when Heggie delivered a pass into the crease that Foley finished home, cutting the Skidmore deficit back to one.

The Thoroughbreds weren't done scoring in the second though, as they took advantage of a power-play opportunity to grab an equalizer. With one minute left in the frame, Maier received the puck at the left point and fired a slap shot through traffic that snuck just inside the far post to bring the game back to level terms at 2-2.

Castleton reclaimed the early in the third when Moran scored a short-handed goal. Despite being on the penalty kill, Will Laking stole the puck in the neutral zone and dumped a pass to Moran, who finished a shot beneath McDonald's pads to put the hosts back in front, 3-2.

Moran netted his second goal of the day on a three-on-two break just more than seven minutes later to seal the victory, as the Spartans claimed their fifth straight win at Spartan Arena with a score of 4-2. 

Castleton closes out its regular season next weekend when it hosts Southern Maine and the U. of New England on back-to-back nights at Spartan Arena.