A two-goal rally late in the third period by the Clarkson University Hockey team forced extra play in first game of the ECAC Hockey League Quarterfinal series in Ithaca, NY on Friday, but Cornell gained the 4-3 victory with the game-winner at 8:30 of the second overtime.
The Golden Knights (18-16-3) and the seventh-ranked Big Red (19-7-4) will play the second game of the best-of-three series at Lynah Rink on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. If Clarkson wins the two teams will play again on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. for the right to see who will advance to Albany for the league’s championship tourney.
With under 10 minutes to play in regulation, Clarkson’s offense got on track against Cornell’s fifth-ranked defense as the Knights rallied to tie the game 3-3 with a pair of goals 5:25 apart. At 10:34, during a four-on-four situation, Clarkson’s leading scorer, sophomore assistant captain Nick Dodge (Oakville, ONT) stole the puck near Cornell net and slipped in a quick shot for his 16th goal of the season to pull the Green and Gold within one.
At 15:59, sophomore Steve Zalewski (New Hartford, NY) poked in a rebound off a shot by classmate Shawn Weller (South Glens Falls, NY) to make it 3-3 with his ninth goal of the year, and first even strength score of the season. Freshman defenseman Tyrell Mason (Dawson Creek, BC) picked up his third assist over the past three games and fifth of the season when he started the play with a pass to Weller in the neutral zone.
Cornell, however, gained the victory with Raymond Sawada’s goal off a faceoff win in the Knights’ zone to end the game after 88:30 of play.
Clarkson opened the game, controlling the opening minutes of the first, but it was Cornell which got on the scoreboard first with Evan Barlow’s goal at 9:26. The Knight had their chances to tie it up, but failed to connect on three power plays in the stanza.
Just 1:00 into the second frame, Clarkson evened the score as freshman Shea Guthrie (Carleton Place, ONT) knocked in a rebound in front off a shot by Zalewski while crashing the net for his ninth goal of the year. Weller started the play by springing his linemates with a pass from the redline.
The Big Red wasted little time in regaining the lead, just 30 seconds later, with Mark McCutcheon’s high shot from the right circle, which found its way through traffic and past Clarkson’s sophomore goaltender David Leggio (Williamsville, NY). At 7:10, Cornell went on top 3-1 on Dan Glover’s unassisted goal, a quick wrist shot from the point that Leggio never saw.
Both teams had an excellent opportunity to end it early in the first overtime. Clarkson’s chance came 42 seconds in when Dodge, all alone in front, deflected a shot from the point, but his attempt was pushed away just wide by Big Red goaltender David Mckee. Cornell thought it had the game won at the end of the first extra session when a shot went past Leggio as the horn sounded. The play was waved off, however, as time in the period had expired.
Cornell out shot Clarkson 54-30, including a 16-5 advantage in overtime play. Leggio finished with a career-high 50 saves. The Knights were 0-of-6 on the power play, while the Big Red were 0-of-4 with the man advantage.
