Guthrie Named Clarkson MVP

The 2008-09 Clarkson University hockey team was honored at the annual Knight Club Booster Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 4. Family, friends, and booster club members paid tribute to the Golden Knights and honored the nine seniors in the Class of 2009.

The Golden Knights’ Class of 2009 — Adam Bellows, Chris D’Alvise, Shea Guthrie, Jon Marshall, Tyrell Mason, Phil Paquet, Dan Tuttle, Mike Willemsen, and Corey Novothy — helped Clarkson compile 75 victories from 2005-2009, back-to-back 20-win campaigns (2006-07, 2007-08) for the first time in 10 seasons, an ECAC Hockey Tournament Championship (2007) and a conference regular season title (2008) along with making two consecutive showings in the NCAA Tournament (2007, 2008).

Six awards were announced at the banquet. Headlining the list of recipients was 6-0, 207-pound, left wing Shea Guthrie, who was named the Bill Harrison Clarkson Most Valuable Player in honor of the successful Clarkson coach of the late 1940s and 1950s.

Guthrie enjoyed a strong second half to the season, recording 24 (12-12) of his 27 points in the 2009 portion of the schedule. The Golden Knights’ second-leading scorer with 13 goals and 14 assists, Guthrie completed his collegiate campaign on an eight-game point streak (6-5). The Carleton Place, Ontario native led ECAC Hockey in game-winning goals with four. Guthrie is a 2005 NHL Draft choice of the New York Islanders.

A 5-10, 180-pound sophomore right wing from Whitby, Ontario, Scott Freeman was honored with the Richmond Unsung Hero Award. Named in honor of loyal Clarkson followers Ernie and Connie Richmond, the award has been presented to a Golden Knight who displayed unselfish play and was very instrumental to the team’s success.

Freeman was Clarkson’s leading scorer with 29 points, including a team-high 23 assists. He was one of three Golden Knights to skate in all 36 games. Freeman’s final goal of the year, a power-play marker in the second game of the quarterfinal series at Union, was the program’s 10,000 all-time goal.

Senior Adam Bellows as honored with the Mike Morrison Coaches’ Award for teamwork, hustle and dedication. The award was named in honor of the former Clarkson captain who died in a work accident on July 27, 1988.

Bellows emerged as a walk-on candidate from Lancaster, NY in his freshman year into the Green and Gold’s steadiest player on the blueline this season. The 6-3, 205-pound defenseman played in 33 games this winter and recorded five points, including his first two collegiate goals, coming in back-to-back wins on the road at Yale and Brown.

Tyrell Mason was presented with the Paul J. Pilon Award, which was established in the memory of the former Clarkson hockey player who died in a tragic car wreck in 1937. It is presented, when appropriate, to the senior who has excelled both as a student and hockey player. A 6-2, 200-pound defenseman from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Mason, a 2005 NHL Draft choice of the New York Islanders, served as a Clarkson co-captain during the 2008-09 campaign.

Victor, New York native Jon Marshall received the Fran Neragin Award. Named in honor of the loyal Clarkson hockey booster who passed away in 1984, the Neragin award is presented to a player who excels in sportsmanship and academics, and who has contributed significantly to the Clarkson hockey program. The 6-3, 205-pound senior was a versatile player for the Knights playing both forward and defense in his final collegiate campaign.

Tom Pizzo was honored with the Knight Club Award, presented to a deserving player who made a significant contribution to the team, achieved academically as well as being an excellent role model for his teammates and the young people of the community.

Pizzo, a 5-10, 180-pound sophomore from Rochester, New York, played in 19 games on the Clarkson blueline. A Strong student, majoring in Business, Pizzo was involved with the Golden Knights’ reading program at local schools, helped out with Clarkson’s Hockey team’s efforts with fund raising for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, was the hockey team representative on Clarkson’s S.A.A.C. and was a Clarkson representative with ECAC Hockey’s Adopt-A-Player.