Harr Helps Dutchmen Secure Home Ice
SCHENECTADY, NY -- Senior
defenseman Mike Harr scored the game-winning goal at the 11:03 mark
of the third period on Senior Night lifted the Union College men's
ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory against Clarkson and secured home
ice during the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs. The two
teams will meet again on Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. for a
best-of-three game series. The victory moved Union into the eighth
spot in the conference with a 9-11-2 ECACH mark and a 16-15-3
overall record. Clarkson drops to the ninth position with a 8-10-4
league record and a 10-17-4 overall mark.
The 16th win this season ties a program record for victories in a
season, which was previously accomplished during the 1996-97 and
2005-06 season.
Harr's heroics came after sophomore forward Stéphane Boileau
chipped a puck to freshman forward Kelly Zajac in front of the
Clarkson bench. Harr accepted a pass in the slot and beat Paul
Karpowich glove side for his first goal of the season and second of
his career.
The Dutchmen locked down defensively and fought off a Clarkson team
that elected to go with six skaters with just over a minute
remaining. Sophomore goaltender Corey Milan made 29 stops for his
16th victory -- also tying a Union record. The Great Barrington
native made 13 stops in the first, 11 in the second and five in the
third. Milan turned aside nine of Clarkson's shots while on the
power play.
Junior forward Mario Valery-Trabucco snapped a six-game scoring
drought when he put Union up 1-0 at the 11:18 mark of the first
period. Sophomore forward Adam Presizniuk tipped the puck out of
the defensive end where junior forward Jason Walters picked up the
loose puck and raced into Clarkson's end. The junior fired a shot
from just inside the left circle. Golden Knights goaltender Paul
Karpowich had trouble handing the shot and Valery-Trabucco notched
his career-high tying 11th goal by poking the rebound over the
goalline.
The goal was Valery-Tabucco's 11th of the season and 32nd of his
career, while Presizniuk moved his point total to a team-leading
31. Walters enjoyed his 19th point since the winter break and he
now has a career-high tying 27 points on the season.
Union's penalty kill shut down all six of Clarkson's chances,
including three in the first where Milan made eight saves. The
Golden Knights man-down until killed off three penalties.
The Dutchmen and Golden Knights will meet in the playoffs for only
the third time. The other two series both took place at Messa Rink
(2002 and 2005). During the five playoff meetings, three have gone
into overtime.












