A lengthy losing skid came to an end for the Clarkson University Hockey team as the Golden Knights staged a third–period rally on Friday night to defeat Dartmouth College 3-2 before 3,308 fans at Thompson Arena in Hanover, NH.
Three different Clarkson players accounted for the goals and sophomore Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT) was stellar in net as the Green and Gold snapped a six-game losing streak, won their first game of the season on the road and picked up their first points in ECAC Hockey action.
At 4-8 overall and 1-4 in the league, the Knights close out the weekend with tomorrow’s 7:00 p.m. game at Harvard.
“Obviously this is a big win for us,” stated Clarkson head coach George Roll. “Both teams played desperate hockey. Being down 2-1 on the road and coming away with the win, I give our guys credit. We did a lot of little things well, but Paul (Karpowich) was on his game and gave us a chance to win. I am proud of the way our guys battled.”
Trailing 2-1 after forty minutes of play, Clarkson scored twice early in the final frame to pull out the victory. Junior assistant captain Bandon DeFazio (Oakville, ONT) started the comeback when he knocked in a loose puck in front during a scrum at the top of the crease to tie the game at 4:17. Senior Tim Marks (Brownville, NY) and sophomore Julien Cayer (Longueuil, QUE) assisted on DeFazio’s fourth goal of the season and third over the past three games.
Audio of DeFazio goal
At 7:15, Clarkson took the lead for the first time of the game when sophomore defenseman Mark Borowiecki (Kanata, ONT) chipped in a rebound from the left side for the game-winner. Senior assistant captain Matt Beca (Mississauga, ONT) assisted.
Audio of Borowiecki goal
Dartmouth (0-6, 0-6) opened the game with a power-play marker off the stick of Dustin Walsh at 3:01, but the Knights’ leading scorer, sophomore Louke Oakley (Whitby, ONT) evened the score just 52 seconds later, sweeping in a wraparound attempt at 3:53 for his second goal of the year. Junior captain Scott Freeman (Whitby, ONT) and freshman defenseman Nik Pokulok (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QUE) assisted. Oakley, who suffered an injury at the end of the first, did not play the final two periods and may be out for the remainder of the first semester.
Audio of Oakley goal
The Big Green’s Joe Gaudet scored on an odd-man rush midway through the second stanza to give the home team a 2-1 lead.
The Big Green out shot Clarkson 37-29, but Karpowich was on top of his game making 35 saves, including 14 over the final 20 minutes. James Mello posted 26 stops for Dartmouth.
Audio Of Karpowich save
Clarkson was 0-of-5 on the power play and killed off six of seven Dartmouth power play chances.
