Potsdam, NY - Freshman left wing Shawn Weller (South Glens Falls, NY) made an impressive showing in his Clarkson University Hockey debut, but unfortunately it came in a losing effort as the Golden Knights lost 5-3 to Niagara University at Cheel Arena Friday night.
Ryan Gale scored two goals to lead Niagara to the victory over Clarkson. The Purple Eagles, of College Hockey America, won their third straight game on the road over an ECACHL opponent, to improve their record to 3-3. The Golden Knights, playing in their official home-opener, fell to 1-4 on the season. The two teams will close out the weekend series on Saturday, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Niagara took the early lead, at 12:24 of the first, after senior captain Barret Ehgoetz picked up a loose puck in the corner and fed Gale in front, who scored his fourth goal of the season. The Knights came back to tie it on Weller’s first goal of the season, a power-play marker with 1:48 left in the opening stanza. Weller, playing in his first game of the season after receiving NCAA clearance to play only hours before faceoff, one-timed a pass at the side of the crease from freshman David Cayer (Longueuil, QUE). Sophomore Brodie Rutherglen (Trail, BC) also assisted.
The Purple Eagles grabbed a two-goal lead early in the second. Gale tallied his second goal of the game just 54 seconds into the middle frame and Sean Bentivoglio connected for his second of the year as both teams were skating four aside at 3:39. The Knights pulled to within one, at 7:03, as freshman Nick Dodge (Oakville, ONT) scored on a breakaway after taking a pass at the blueline from senior Lyon Porter (Shaker Heights, OH). Niagara regained the two-goal lead at 12:19 on a power-play goal by Kris Wiebe.
Weller tallied his second goal of the game, at 8:52 of the third, off a behind-the-net pass from senior assistant captain Jay Latulippe (Saratoga Springs, NY), to make it a one-goal game, at 4-3. cayer recorded his second assist of the game on the goal. Niagara, however, held off some intense pressure by the Knights late in the contest and sealed the victory with an empty-net score by Aaron Clarke with 37 seconds remaining.
The Purple Eagles held a slight 24-23 advantage in shots. Jeff Van Nynatten posted 20 saves, including 13 in the third period for Niagara. Junior Dustin Traylen (Kirkland, QUE) made 19 stops for the Knights. Niagara was 1-of-8 on the power play, while Clarkson was 2-of-6 with the man-advantage.
