Bobcats Handled by Golden Knights
POTSDAM, NY -- The Quinnipiac University men's hockey team was shutout by Clarkson, 8-0, in an ECAC Hockey game in Potsdam, N.Y. The loss drops Quinnipiac to 17-13-4 overall and 9-9-4 in league play. Clarkson improves to 20-10-4 overall and 15-4-3 in league action.
Prior to the game, Quinnipiac found themselves locked into the 6th seed in next weekend's ECAC Hockey Tournament. Dartmouth's 5-2 win over Colgate earlier in the day ensure the Bobcats of the 6th seed.
Quinnipiac's six-game losing streak is their longest since the 1994-95 season when the Bobcats lost eight straight.
Four first period goals gave Clarkson an early cushion. The Golden Knights jumped on the board first with a goal at the 10:51 mark of the first period when Bryan Rufenach received a pass from Chris D'Alvise out in front of the Bobcats' net. Rufenach's blast from point-blank range found the top shelf, beating Quinnipiac's Bud Fisher (Peterborough, Ont.) to give the Golden Knights the early 1-0 lead.
Their second goal of the period came on an odd-man rush when Lauri Tuohimaa fed Matt Beca on the right flank. Beca dumped the puck off to Grant Clitsome out in front of the Quinnipiac net, who then faked left and went to the backhand to score Clarkson's second goal of the period. Clarkson's third goal came at the 16:50 mark when D'Alvise scored on a rebound off a missed shot by Nick Dodge.
Clarkson's fourth goal of the period was shorthanded as Beca passed the puck to Clitsome from the right wing to the center of the ice. Clitsome then slipped a pass behind the Quinnipiac defense to Zalewski who banged home the Golden Knights fourth tally just before the end of the first period.
Clarkson tacked on their fifth goal of the net just 23 seconds into the second period when freshman Pat McGann (Evergreen Park, Ill.), who checked into the game to start the period for Fisher, failed to clear the puck. Zalewski broke up the clear and passed the puck behind McGann to Beca whose shot from the right face-off circle found the back of the Quinnipiac net. McGann gave up his second goal, on Clarkson's second shot of the period, when Tim Marks' shot on the freshman goalie was deflected to the right of the goal. Mike Arciero scooped up the rebound and knocked it past McGann to give Clarkson a 6-0 lead just under two minutes into the second period.
Clarkson pushed their lead to 7-0 with goal at the 5:06 marker of the third period. David Cayer scored his eighth goal of the year on an assist by Shea Guthrie. Clarkson scored with less than three minutes to play to finish off the Bobcats, 8-0. Rufenach scored on a pass from Scott Freeman and Tuohimaa.
Should Brown defeat Union, they would claim the 11th seed and would travel to Hamden on Friday, March 7 to face the host Bobcats. If they lose or tie Union, they will slip to the 12th seed, setting up a playoff series between Quinnipiac and Dartmouth.
Tickets, which go on sale next Monday, March 3 are not available online and can only be purchased by calling 203-582-3905 or visiting the ticket box office at the TD Banknorth Sports Center located at 305 Sherman Avenue. Ticket box office hours of operation are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays.
