Dutchmen Offense Explodes
POTSDAM, NY - A four-goal second period paced
the Union College men's ice hockey team to a 5-1 victory against
Clarkson (3-8-0, 0-4-0) on Saturday Night at Cheel Arena. The
Dutchmen, who defeated St. Lawrence 4-3 on Friday, completed a
sweep of their North Country opponents for the first time since the
2002-03 season. Union, which is now 2-0-2 in the league and 5-3-3
overall, are undefeated through four ECAC Hockey games for the
first time since going 6-0 in 2004-05.
The line of junior forward Andrew Buote and seniors Jon Lareau and
Jason Shaffer arguably stole the show, combining for five points.
Buote had a goal and an assist, while Lareau had a pair of assist
and Shaffer had one helper.
Senior forward Mario Valery-Trabucco and sophomore forward Kelly
Zajac each continued their stellar play. Valery-Trabucco, who is
now on a three-game scoring streak, moved his team-leading point
total to 14 with a goal and an assist. Zajac scored his sixth goal
in as many games, extending his scoring streak to a season-long
four games.
Senior forward Jason Walters and sophomore forward Brian Yanovitch
also increased their scoring streaks. Walters scored his third goal
of the year, giving him a point in the last three. Yanovitch
registered an assist for his eighth point of the year, moving his
streak to two games.
Making his second-consecutive start, freshman goaltender Keith
Kinkaid made 18 stops for his second career win.
Trailing 1-0, the Dutchmen's second-period swing began when
Clarkson goaltender Richie LaVeau wrapped the puck around the end
boards. Buote intercepted the puck at the half wall and threw it
towards the goal. Lareau chipped it to Valery-Trabucco for a
wide-open-net tally 29 ticks in.
Walters gave Union 2-1 advantage two seconds later after freshman
forward Jeremy Welsh had a shot blocked. Trying to get a stick on
the puck, Walters blindly got a backhand on goal and out of the
reach of LaVeau.
Buote kept the pressure on with his first goal of the season at
3:36. Lareau broke the puck out of the defensive zone and found
Shaffer in the neutral zone. Shaffer dished to Buote who unloaded a
wrist shot just inside the left face-off circle over the shoulder
of the Golden Knight's netminder.
Riding the wave of a three-game scoring streak, Zajac continued his
success with a goal at 17:04 on a similar play like Buote.
Yanovitch found Zajac cutting through the offensive zone where he
sniped a shot far side.
A fluke goal off the skate of junior forward Stephane Boileau with
assist to freshman forward Greg Coburn and Welsh at 2:11 of the
third gave Union a 5-1 lead.
After nearly a two-week hiatus, the Dutchmen return to take on Lake
Superior State at the RPI Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday, Nov.
27 at 4 p.m.












