Clarkson's Upset Bid Falls Short

POTSDAM, N.Y. -- Despite another solid effort against a Top 10-ranked team and a 41-save performance from sophomore goaltender Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT), the Clarkson University Hockey team came up short, falling to 5th/6th-ranked Yale 3-2 in ECAC Hockey action before 2,086 fans at Cheel Arena on Friday.

The Bulldogs (11-4-3, 7-2-2), who never trailed in the contest, received goals from three different players to win their second straight. Junior Broc Little (Rindge, NH) led the Yale offense, scoring the game-winner and recording one assist.

Yale, which grabbed an early 1-0 lead, dominated the first period outshooting Clarkson 17-6. The lone goal of the opening stanza, however, came off the stick of a Golden Knight defenseman, who inadvertantly deflected a Bulldog shot from the point past Karpowich. Yale’s junior defenseman Mike Matczak (Sewell, NJ) was credited for his first goal of the season at 2:02. Little and Denny Kearney assisted.

The Knights opened the second stanza with a power-play tally at 9:06 as freshman Adam Pawlick (Utica, NY) tipped in a shot from the point by sophomore defenseman Corey Tamblyn (Bobcaygeon, ONT) for his sixth goal of the season. Sophomore Jake Morley (Ogdensburg, NY) also assisted.

Yale came right back with their own power-play score just 67 seconds later as junior defenseman Jimmy Martin (St. Louis, MO) connected from the top of the left circle for his first goal of the year. Kevin Peel (Onoway, ALB) and Jeff Anderson (Port Coquitlam, BC) set up the go-ahead goal.

Little put the Bulldogs up 3-1 at 5:09 of the third with his team-high 15th goal of the season, lifting a puck up top while on the power-play for the eventual deciding goal.

Just 1:26 later, the Knights made it a one-goal game when Morley fired in his fourth goal of the season, on a shot from the corner for a power-play tally. Pawlick earned the assist.

Clarkson had an excellent chance to tie the game while skating on the power-play with 1:48 remaining in regulation, but could not come up with the equalizer.

Yale out shot the Knights 44-25. Karpowich recorded his fourth 40+-save outing of the season, making 16 first-periods stops, 11 more in the second and an additional 14 over the final 20 minutes. He was especially strong late in the third with several point-blank saves to keep it a one-goal game.

Freshman Nick Maricic (Alto Loma, CA) posted 23 saves for the visitors.

The Bulldogs went 2-of-7 on the power play, while Clarkson was 1-of-6 with the man-advantage.

The Knights, at 5-15-3 overall and 1-8-2 in ECAC Hockey, close out a six-game home stand by hosting Brown on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Yale plays at St. Lawrence.