SARATOGA SPRINGS — Maybe it started out too easy for the Plattsburgh State men's hockey team Tuesday night.

The Cardinals held a 2-0 lead over Skidmore College on goals by Joey Wilson and Corey John with just 6:12 gone in the game.

The Thoroughbreds, however, scored five of the final six goals in the non-league contest and skated to a stunning 5-3 victory over the previously unbeaten Cardinals.

Skidmore, unbeaten at home, improved to 7-5 overall, while the Cardinals fell to 12-1-2. It also marked the first time Plattsburgh State has lost a game after taking a 2-0 lead since March 4, 2006.

"We had four or five players who didn't play well and they are key players," said Plattsburgh State head coach Bob Emery. "We had a lot of guys who did play well.

"But, when we make mistakes in our own end like we did tonight, we don't deserve to win. The have-nots tonight made key defensive errors that cost us the game. Some guys didn't come to play and hurt themselves and the team."

Wilson opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 1:26 and John made it 2-0 at 6:12 with his first goal as a Cardinal.

Skidmore, however, tied it within a 31-second span in the opening period when Hunter Thayer scored at 14:07 and Alex Mykolenko at 14:38.

Brett Bandazian's goal then gave the Thoroubreds the lead for good at 8:14 of the second.

Teddy Gowan's power-play goal gave Skidmore a two-goal advantage, at 4-2, with 6:40 gone in the third.

But, Wilson's second goal of the contest, at 8:57, pulled Plattsburgh State back to within one.

Plattsburgh State pulled goaltender Bryan Hince with 1:40 left in regulation, but couldn't get the equalizer despite pressure in the Skidmore end.

Colin Bessey played well in the Skidmore nets with 44 saves and Hince finished with 36 for the Cardinals. Plattsburgh State held a 47-41 shot advantage.

"We generated a lot of shots on goal and missed some open nets, including one near the end," Emery said. "But, you don't get those goals if you don't deserve them.

"Hince has done a lot to carry us, but had an off game tonight. We have illness going through the team. That's no excuse, however, because we beat ourselves in our own end.

"Skidmore deserves a lot of credit. They won a lot of 50-50s to the puck and did what it takes to win."

The Cardinals are off before going on a State University of New York Athletic Conference road trip to Fredonia and Buffalo State on Jan. 23-24.

—

Skidmore 5, Plattsburgh State 3

Score by periods:

Plattsburgh State 2 0 1 — 3

Skidmore College 2 1 1 — 4

First period- 1, PSU, Wilson ppg (Rolls, Farrow), 1:26. 2, PSU, John (Hill), 6:12. 3, Skid, Thayer, 14:07. 4, Skid, Mykolenko (Bandazian), 14:38.

Second period- 5, Skid, Bandazian (Thayer, Czerkowicz), 8:14.

Third period- 6, Skid, Gowan ppg, 6:40. 7, PSU, Wilson (Farrow), 8:57. 8, Skid, Thayer eng (McDavitt), 19:50.

Shots on goal:

Plattsburgh State 14 21 12 — 47

Skidmore College 11 16 14 — 41

Goaltenders (shots-saves): Hince, PSU, 40-36. Bessey, Skid, 47-44.

Powerplays (goals-opportunities): Plattsburgh State, 1-5. Skidmore, 1-4.