After giving up seven goals in a loss at Princeton on Friday night, the Clarkson University Hockey team responded on Saturday with one of its best efforts of the season in a 4-1 victory over Quinnipiac before a live ESPNU-TV audience at the brand new TDBanknorth Sports Center in Hamden, CT.
Junior David Leggio (Williamsville, NY) posted a season-high 42 saves and four different Golden Knights scored in the regular-season ending victory to highlight the Green and Gold’s efforts. Clarkson, which finished second in the ECAC Hockey League, earned a bye in the opening round of the conference playoffs, which start next weekend, and will host a quarterfinal round series at Cheel Arena on March 9-11. Ranked 6th in the country, the Knights finished with a 13-5-4 ECACHL mark and own a 21-8-5 overall record.
Battling through two scoreless periods, Clarkson finally broke the deadlock at 3:42 of the third on a power-play goal by sophomore Shea Guthrie (Carleton Place, ONT). After sophomore defenseman Tyrell Mason (Dawson Creek, BC) kept a Quinnipiac clearing attempt in the zone, Guthrie picked up the puck, and using senior Mike Sullivan (Stouffville, ONT) as a screen in front, fired off a quick wrist shot for his 8th goal of the season.
Clarkson connected again on the man advantage at 9:11, when junior Shawn Weller (South Glens Falls, NY) picked up a loose puck along the left boards and tallied unassisted for his 16th goal of the season for a 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats, who finished fifth in the league standings, got on the scoreboard at 16:49. Seconds after a power play came to and end, Quinnipiac, who also had their goaltender out of the net for the extra attacker, made it a one-goal game with Brandon Wong’s 24th goal of the year.
The Knights sealed the win, however, with a pair of empty-net goals in the final two minutes of play to gain some momentum for the upcoming playoffs.
Junior defenseman Grant Clitsome (Gloucester, ONT) scored his 6th of the year unassisted at 18:51. Clitsome set up the fourth goal by David Cayer (Longueuil, QUE), his 11th of the season with 21 seconds left to cap off the impressive win.
Quinnipiac, the highest scoring team in the ECACHL and benefiting from 11 power-play opportunities, out shot the Knights 43-26. Clarkson was 2-of-8 on the power play.
