After battling to a tight 1-1 score through 40 minutes of play the Clarkson University Hockey team and Princeton combined for six goals in the third period, but unfortunately for the Golden Knights four of those belong to the home team as the ninth-ranked Tigers gained a 5-3 victory at Hobey Baker Rink in New Jersey Friday night.
Clarkson, which saw its three-game unbeaten streak come to an end, stands at 8-15-6 overall and 6-8-3 in ECAC Hockey. The Knights, who are tied for eighth place in the league standings with five games remaining, play at Quinnipiac on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
After a one hour 25 minute delay to start Friday’s game due to a problem with the ice at Hobey Baker Rink, Clarkson showed little rust from the lengthy wait coming out with a strong first-period effort against the Tigers. Sophomore defenseman Tom Pizzo (Rochester, NY) put the Golden Knights on top with his first goal of the season early in the opening stanza. After freshman center Louke Oakley (Whitby, ONT) won a faceoff draw back to the point, Pizzo connected on a rising shot that beat Princeton goaltender Zane Kalemba high over his blocker at 2:11.
A goal late in the second period by Princeton made it 1-1 through two periods. The Tigers’ Lee Jubinville knocked in a loose puck in the crease at 17:13 after a shot from the bottom of the left circle by Brett Wilson had trickled past Clarkson’s freshman goaltender Richie LaVeau (Arlington Heights, IL) and sat just outside the goal line.
The third frame began with plenty of offense as Clarkson and Princeton combined for three goals in the first 5:28 of play in the stanza. The Tigers Brandan Kushniruk opened the scoring just 41 seconds in, followed three minutes later by sophomore Brandon DeFazio’s (Oakville, ONT) fifth goal of the season to make it 2-2. DeFazio took a pass out of the left corner by classmate Scott Freeman (Whitby, ONT) and made a move in front to bring Kalemba down and then skated to right side where he slipped the puck past the prone Princeton goaltender.
Princeton regained the lead at 5:28 on Brett Wilson’s goal, and then made it 4-2 as Tyler Beachell scored at 15:08.
With LaVeau out for the extra attacker late in regulation, Clarkson pulled to within one with two minutes remaining. Freeman took a behind-the-net pass from senior Shea Guthrie (Carlton Place, ONT) and chipped in his fourth goal of the season. Senior Chris D’Alvise (Mississauga, ONT) also assisted.
Princeton sealed its second win of the season over Clarkson with an empty-net goal by Kushniruk with 65 seconds remaining.
The Tigers out shot Clarkson 40-30. LaVeau made 35 saves, including 15 in the first period. The Knights went 0-3 on the power play with all their man advantages coming consecutively in the middle frame. Princeton was 0-of-4 on the power play.
