KEENE, N.H. – Freshman Zack Chouinard scored his second goal of the season just 1:30 into the game to get the Keene State College men's ice hockey team off to a flying start, but Babson College answered with a power play goal just 2:11 later and took the lead halfway through the first period before pulling away in the later stages of the third to post a 4-1 win on Friday night at Keene Ice in the first-ever Little East Conference game for both sides.

The loss snaps KSC's (2-1-0, 0-1-0 LEC) eight-game winning streak including a run of five straight in their home rink, where they were 8-3 entering the day.

The Owls knew they would be in for a challenge in their league opener, facing an established program under head coach Jamie Rice who was receiving votes in the most recent national rankings.  But it was a one-goal game on the scoreboard until there were six minutes left when Sean Senier made it 3-1.  Brendan Kennedy added another goal just 1:11 later as Babson (3-0-0, 1-0-0 LEC) pulled away.  The Beavers scored both of their goals in quick succession, with Jimmy Fallon's tying goal and Egan Schmitt's go-ahead goal in the first period coming within 6:38 of each other, deflating the Owls and the crowd after KSC's early lead.  Nate Mueller made three saves in the ensuing 1:20 after Chouinard's goal to keep it 1-0, and a hooking penalty on Luke Festa helped allow the Beavers to strike back quickly.

Skelton was credited with 57 saves, including 25 in a scoreless second period as the Owls kept it a 2-1 game through 40 minutes.  After a 12-8 margin in saves in the opening 20 minutes, KSC's sophomore keeper had to make 45 stops over the next two periods while Mueller needed to make just eight, as the Owls struggled to get consistent offensive pressure.

Babson finished 1-for-3 on the power play and KSC could not convert on their lone man-up chance, which came 1:42 into the second, as Mueller made two saves.  It also did not give them much momentum, as Babson twice rang the iron while a man down.  KSC was whistled for a penalty just 10 seconds after the power play expired, and although the Owls killed it off, it allowed the Beavers to continue to use their precise passing and puck possession, wearing down the Owl defense over the final two periods and creating miscues.

The 57 saves for Skelton are a career-high, surpassing his 43 made in a 3-0 win at Nichols College last January.

Chase Carney won 14 of 22 faceoffs and KSC had a 35-30 edge overall, but the Beavers kept the second, third, and fourth lines off the scoresheet.

The Owls are back in action tomorrow (Saturday, November 8) when they welcome the University of Southern Maine (2-1-0, 1-0-0 LEC) for a conference game at 3:30 p.m.  The Huskies beat Western Connecticut State University, a first-year program, on the road 7-3 in the LEC opener for both teams tonight.