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After a one-year absence, the Clarkson University Hockey teams returns to the quarterfinal round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) playoffs for the 41st time in the 43-year history of the league's postseason tournament. The Golden Knights, guided by first-year head coach George Roll, associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle, are coming off their most impressive efforts of the season after sweeping Union College in the first round series in Schenectady. For the first time this season, the Green and Gold won two games on the same weekend against an ECAC foe by defeating the Dutchmen twice at Achilles Center.
After playing 14 consecutive games that were decided by one or two goals, including empty-net scores, entering the postseason, the Golden Knights enjoyed back-to-back high-scoring outings to start the playoffs on a roll. The Knights, who only scored 11 goals combined through the eight games in February, outscored the Dutchmen 13-5 and equaled their single-game high in Friday's 8-3 victory. Clarkson followed with another balanced effort in Saturday's 5-2 triumph. Junior center Mac Faulkner (King City, ONT), who was named INCH National Player of the Week, led the Knights with three goals and three assists in the sweep. Clarkson, which improved its record to 15-16-5, is playing its best hockey at the right time having won four of its last five games.
The ninth-seeded Knights, who finished with an 8-12-2 ECAC mark, will have the opportunity to avenge their lone loss in that span, a 2-1 setback at Cornell on February 28. Clarkson travels to Ithaca, NY to battle the number two seeded Big Red in the best-of-three quarterfinal series this weekend at Lynah Rink. The other ECAC Quarterfinal series are #10 St. Lawrence at #1 Colgate. #6 Harvard at #3 Brown and #5 Rensselaer at #4 Dartmouth.
The winners of the quarterfinals will travel to Albany for the 43rd ECAC Championship Tournament to be held at the Pepsi Center on March 19-20.
Clarkson has been a perennial power in the ECAC since the league was formed at the start of the 1961-62 season. The Knights, who have particpated in 42 of the conference's 43 postseason tournaments, own a 68-50-5 record in the ECAC playoffs.
The Big Red of Cornell, defending ECAC champions, are looking to set the ground work for their record 11th conference tournament title as they host the quarterfinal round for the fifth consecutive year. Guided by ninth-year head coach Mike Schafer, Cornell placed second in the regular season, one point out of first with a 13-6-3 ECAC mark. Overall the Big Red are 15-8-6. Cornell, which enjoyed a first round bye last week, is also playing some of its best hockey entering the playoffs. The Big Red closed out the regular season by winning seven of their last eight games, including a sweep of North Country foes St. Lawrence (4-1) and Clarkson in the final weekend of the regular season. Cornell, which allowed just seven goals combined in those last seven wins, boasts the number-one ranked scoring defense in the conference, allowing just 1.45 goals per game. The Big Red, who went 15-0-0 at Lynah Rink last year en route to a 2004 NCAA Frozen Four appearance, are 6-5-5 at home this season, but have won their last four games in Ithaca.
The Series:
Clarkson's most familiar opponent in the ECAC playoffs, the Knights and Big Red have played 19 times in the league's postseason tournament with Cornell owning a 12-6-1 lead. The Big Red have won three straight over Clarkson in the playoffs with their last meeting in the 2000 preliminary game in Lake Placid, a 4-2 Cornell victory. The Knights hold a 4-3-1 advantage in the quarterfinal round. Clarkson swept the Big Red in the 1995 quarterfinals (6-2 and 7-2) at Cheel Arena for their last wins in postseason over Cornell.
Clarkson leads the all-time series, which began with a 0-0 tie in Ithaca during the 1922-23 campaign, 44-42-9, but Cornell has had the upper hand recently with a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) and an 8-1-1 mark over the past 10 games. The Big Red took three of four points during the regular season, tying the Knights 2-2 in Potsdam on November 14 and winning 2-1 at Lynah Rink on February 28. The Knights snapped a four-game losing streak to Cornell in their first meeting this season. Clarkson held a 2-1 lead midway through the third period on goals by Tristan Lush and John Sullivan before the Big Red forced overtime with the tying score at 8:04 of the third. In the final game of the regular season in Ithaca two weeks ago, the Big Red gained the one-goal victory scoring power-play goals in the first and third periods around freshman defenseman Nathan Beausoleil's second period power-play marker. The Knights' last win over Cornell was a 2-0 shutout at Cheel on February 24, 2001. Clarkson's last win over the Big Red in Ithaca was a 4-1 triumph on March 6, 1999. Rob McFeeters has been the top offensive threat for the Green and Gold against the Big Red with six points (2-4) through seven games.
First Round Series vs Union ReCap:
With a convincing 8-3 victory over Union College in the opening game of the first round of the ECAC playoffs, Clarkson entered the postseason with a flurry Friday night in Schenectady. Five Knights scored goals in the win, which snapped a four-game postseason losing streak for Clarkson, as the Green and Gold equaled their highest goal output of the season. Clarkson opened the scoring at 8:46 of the first as the #10, #11, #12 Line converged on the Union crease to knock in a rebound for a power-play goal. Junior Chris Blight (Cambridge, ONT) chipped away at a loose puck and slipped in his 15th goal of the season with linemates, junior Mac Faulkner (King City, ONT) and freshman Mike Sullivan (Stouffville, ONT) assisting on the man-advantage marker, which snapped a streak of 27 consecutive power plays killed by the Dutchmen. Union tied it up at 10:01, but the Knights controlled the remainder of the contest, connecting for five unanswered goals. Sophomore Jeff Genovy (Kalamazoo, MI) closed out the first by converting a pass into the slot from behind the net by classmate John Sullivan (New Bedford, NH) for his second goal of the year with 2:49 remaining as both teams were skating four aside. Junior Lyon Porter (Shaker Heights, OH) opened the middle frame with his first goal as a Golden Knight at 8:01, knocking in a rebound off a shot by freshman Jamie McKinven (Kingston, ONT). Juniors Jay Latulippe (Saratoga Springs, NY), off a pretty feed from senior Jean Desrochers (Dalhousie, QUE), and Faulkner also scored in the second as Clarkson built its lead to 5-1 through 40 minutes of play. Trailing by four goals and skating on a five-minute power play midway through the third, Union pulled its goaltender for a two-man advantage, but the Knights made the most of the Dutchmen's empty net, by sandwiching two shorthanded goals around a Union power-play score. Blight scored his second of the game and team-high 16th of the year, finding the unguarded Union cage at 9:48. The Dutchmen scored a power-play goal at 10:07, but Clarkson came back with another empty-net score at 10:58 as Faulkner tallied his 13th of the season. The Dutchmen added another power-play goal at 17:20, but with 36 seconds left Porter closed out the Knights' convincing win with his second goal of the game. Sophomore Dustin Traylen (Kirkland, QUE) was solid in the Clarkson goal once again with a 21-save effort. Traylen's best save of the night came early in the second when he turned aside a Union breakway attempt. Moments later the Knights went on to score three straight.
Another balanced scoring effort and the continued solid play in goal by Traylen led Clarkson to a 5-2 victory Saturday and a sweep over the Dutchmen in the first round. Five different Knights scored goals and Traylen posted 26 saves, including 13 in the third period.Clarkson jumped out to a 3-0 first-period lead on goals from Faulkner, Blight and senior co-captain Tristan Lush (North Andover, MA). The Knights' leading scorer, Faulkner tallied his 14th goal of the season on a quick turn around shot from the bottom of the right circle at 3:33. Blight followed with his team-high 17th goal of the year when he one-timed a shot from the point for a power-play goal at 7:20. Lush completed the Knights' first-period outburst by finishing off a 2-on-1 from classmate Jean Desrochers (Dalhousie, QUE) at 14:15. After a scoreless second period, the Dutchmen made the game close in the third by trading two goals apiece with Clarkson. Union scored its first goal just 44 seconds in. Sophomore defenseman Chris Brekelmans (London, ONT) tallied on the power play when his shot from the point deflect in off a Dutchmen defender in front at 8:30. Union scored again at 13:54, but just 62 seconds later, Latulippe sealed the Clarkson win with his second goal of the weekend and 13th of the year. The Knights were solid on the power play, going 2-of-8 with the man-advantage, while killing off all nine Dutchmen power plays.
Quotes From the Coach:
"I thought for six periods we played really well," said George Roll about the first round series at Union. "It is the first time really where we put back-to-back solid games together. We got another strong goaltending performance from Dustin Traylen, balanced scoring and strong specialty teams play. We got a lot of good efforts from a lot of different guys. I certainly thought that Mac Faulkner and Chris Blight brought their "A" games. They are back to the way they were during the first half of the year. I thought Ken Scuderi had a very good weekend. He was strong defensively and played physical, as did Chris Brekelmans. Dustin was Dustin. He made the key saves when we needed them."
That is the type of effort we are going to continue to have if we are going to continue to have success this weekend at Cornell. We just got done playing in that building. For our freshman, it will not be their first taste of Lynah Rink. It is still fresh in their minds. I think we were a little intimidated there two weeks ago, but I don't think that will be the case this time. We had a lot of guys step it up this past weekend and I feel pretty confident in our play going into the quarterfinals."
Knight Notes:
Sixteen different Knights recorded points in a balanced effort against Union with five separate goal scorers in each game over the weekend. The Knights' upperclassmen made a big impact with the seniors and juniors accounting for 11 of the 13 goals … Clarkson's top two scorers, Mac Faulkner and Chris Blight broke out of scoring slumps with career-best outings against the Dutchmen. After recording just a combined two points (1-1) through the month of February, Faulkner (3-3) and Blight (3-1) combined for 10 points in the first-round series sweep … The Knights' leading scorer, Faulkner, who did not scored a goal in February, recorded a career-high four points on two goals, including a shorthanded tally, and two assists in Friday's 8-3 win and then followed with one goal and one assist in Saturday's 5-2 victory. Faulkner was honored with the Inside College Hockey Player of the Week National Award and named to the ECAC's weekly Honor Roll. With 39 points, including a team-high 25 assists, Faulkner is bidding to become the first Clarkson player to record 40 points in a season since current NHL standout Erik Cole produced 41 points in the 1998-99 campaign … Blight, Clarkson's leading goal-scorer, recorded three goals and an assist in the sweep of the Dutchmen. He equaled a career-high three points when he tallied a shorthanded goal and a power-play marker along with one assist on Friday. He also scored on the power play in Saturday's victory to give him 17 goals on the season … Dustin Traylen, who owns one of the best single-season save percentages in Clarkson history at .921, posted 47 saves in the sweep of Union. His biggest stop came in game one with Clarkson holding a 2-1 lead early in the second. He stoned a Dutchmen breakaway attempt and the Knights then went on to score three straight goals to close out the period with a 5-1 advantage. Traylen was also named to the ECAC Honor Roll … Clarkson's most productive offensive player in February, Jay Latulippe, from nearby Saratoga Springs, NY, continued his solid play at Union. He scored the game-winning goal on Friday and netted a goal and an assist in Saturday's victory … Senior Tristan Lush, who sat out Friday's game along with fellow co-captain Rob McFeeters because several players violated team policy last weekend, responded with one goal and one assist in Saturday's win and equaled the Clarkson record for most career games played at 143 … Junior Lyon Porter, who transferred to Clarkson this season from Fairfield University, scored his first goals as a Golden Knight with a two-goal, one-assist effort in Friday's victory … Jeff Genovy also enjoyed a career-best game in Friday's win with one goal and one assist after scoring just six points (1-5) during the regular season … Trevor Edwards (Carelton Place, ONT) recorded a season-high two assists on Saturday … Named ECAC Rookie of the Week, freshman Mike Sullivan (Stouffville, ONT) rounded out a solid showing by the #10, #11, #12 Line with three assists on the weekend … Freshman Jamie McKinven (Kingston, ONT) posted a career-high two assists on Friday for his first points in the Knights' last 11 games … Rookie blueliner Michael Grenzy (Lockport, NY) picked up an assists in both games of the playoffs … Randy Jones, an ECAC All-Star on defense last year as a sophomore for Clarkson, made his NHL debut when he was called up from the AHL to play for the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.