Five key members of the ECAC Hockey Regular Season Champion Clarkson University Hockey team were honored for their efforts during the 2007-08 league campaign when they received conference all-star honors at the ECAC Hockey Annual Awards Banquet, held Thursday night at the Crowne Plaza in Albany, NY.
Seniors Grant Clitsome and Steve Zalewski were selected First-Team ECAC Hockey All-Stars, while classmate Nick Dodge was named the league’s Best Defensive Forward.
Senior David Leggio was chosen to the conference’s second team, and sophomore Matt Beca was honored as a third-team all-star.
2008 ECAC Hockey All-Stars (PDF)
PDF of Clarkson's All-Time ECAC Hockey All-Stars
A 5-11, 200-pound defenseman, Clitsome has been a mainstay on the Green and Gold’s defense for four seasons, and anchored Clarkson’s stingy defensive effort – ranked 3rd in the league – as the Knights’ lone senior on the blueline. The Gloucester, ONT native boasted the best plus/minus overall among all ECAC Hockey players at +23 for the regular season. He recorded 15 points in league play, including 11 assists. Through 37 games overall, Clitsome leads the Clarkson defensemen in scoring with 21 points on five goals and 21 assists. Clitsome is a 2004 NHL Draft choice of Columbus (9th round, 271 overall).
The leading goal scorer in ECAC Hockey play with 16, Zalewski paces the Clarkson offense, which ranked second in conference action, averaging 3.27 goals per game in league play. The 6-0, 192-pound center was second in conference play with five power play goals. He is the second leading scorer overall on Clarkson’s balanced offense with 33 points, including 21 goals. The Golden Knights are 11-2-3 when Zalewski scores a goal. The New Hartford, NY native reached the century mark this season and has 108 points (58-50) through 149 career games. Zalewski is a 2004 draft choice of San Jose (5th round, 153).
Clarkson’s team captain, Dodge did all the little things necessary to help the Golden Knights win the regular season title. He posted 13 points in league play (4-9), and is a strong specialty teams player. A native of Oakville, ONT, Dodge set the Clarkson record for career shorthanded goals with nine, including four overall this season. The 5-10, 184-pound center is Clarkson’s top faceoff specialists, winning over 57% of his draws. He leads all current Knights in career scoring with 124 points (52-72) though 148 games, including 26 points (12-14) this season. Dodge is a 2006 draft selection of Carolina (6th round, 183).
Last year’s Ken Dryden Award winner, Leggio put up impressive numbers again this season while back boning the Green and Gold to the league title. The 6-0, 187-pound netminder started all 22 ECAC Hockey games in goal for the Knights and posted the best winning percentage in league play at .750% with a 15-4-3 record. He had a .926 save percentage and a 2.07 goals against average in ECAC Hockey games. The Williamsville, NY is the first Clarkson goaltender to record back-to-back 20-win seasons since the mid-1990s, and has posted the fourth most wins at Clarkson with a 58-28-12 career record. Through 36 games overall, Leggio posts a .918 save percentage, a 2.23 GAA and a 21-11-4 record, including five shutouts.
The leading point producer on Clarkson’s balanced offense, Beca was tied for third in ECAC scoring with 25 points, including the second most assists in conference action with 18. He led the league with three shorthanded goals in ECAC Hockey play. The 5-10, 181-pound right wing from Mississauga, ONT has tallied 34 points overall on 10 goals and 24 assists through 37 games.
Six Clarkson players were represented on the 2008 ECAC Hockey All-Academic team. Clitsome and Dodge earned the honor along with juniors Jon Marshall (Victor, NY) and Mike Willemsen (Stittsville, ONT), and freshmen Michael Kosziwka (Mississauga, ONT) and Tom Pizzo (Rochester, NY).
