Season Outlook: Clarkson Looks to Return to Elite Status

It has been a long seven months off for the Clarkson University Hockey team. The Golden Knights, who were swept by Union in the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs on March 5-6 to close out a disappointing campaign, are extremely anxious to get back on the ice and make amends for last year. The Green and Gold finished with a 10-19-7 overall record in 2008-09, and tied for eighth in the conference with an 8-10-4 league mark.

Guided by seventh-year head coach George Roll, associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle, the Knights will look to return to the form they displayed in 2006-07 and 2007-08 when they were one of the top teams in college hockey, claiming consecutive ECAC Hockey titles and making back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances before suffering last winter’s letdown.

"I think we need to be more committed to the task at hand," stated Roll. "We got away from that last year. We lost focus at times, including myself. You learn a lot from going through a year like we went through last season. We want to do a lot of the little things differently. Our commitment level has to be better, on the ice, in the classroom and out in the community. We have to be better in all areas of the game, but it starts with the attitude in the locker room. Given the spring workouts and the commitment over the summer, I think the guys have gotten the message. I think our work ethic will be much improved from last year. I know the returning players are excited about the opportunities ahead of us."

Eighteen lettermen, including 10 who contributed to Clarkson’s 2008 ECAC Regular Season Championship and a victory in that year’s NCAA Tournament, will be counted upon to key the Knights’ turnaround. Another talented incoming class consisting of six recruits will also be asked to play a pivotal role.

"We feel the incoming guys are a very talented, hardworking group to back up last year’s solid freshman class," said Roll. "We look forward to this class being a big part of our success. They are a very competitive group overall and that is an area we need to improve upon. We felt strongly that we needed some guys up front to provide us some scoring, and we also needed some depth at the blueline and in goal. We feel that the guys we are bringing in will really push the upperclassmen."

Featuring games against teams from the other five NCAA conferences along with the 22-game ECAC Hockey slate, the 2009-10 schedule promises to be another challenging season for the Knights, who will be led by junior captain Scott Freeman (Whitby, ONT) and assistant captains, senior Matt Beca (Mississauga, ONT) and junior Brandon DeFazio (Oakville, ONT).

Clarkson officially opens its 88th season at 2008 National Champion Michigan State of the CCHA in a weekend series at Munn Arena in East Lansing, MI on October 9-10. The ECAC Hockey campaign begins on November 6 when Clarkson plays at Quinnipiac. The Knights will play 16 home games at Cheel Arena.

2009-10 Schedule

"This is one of our toughest schedules in some time," stated Roll. "The ECAC Hockey campaign is always a battle from top-to-bottom, and when you add in the non-league teams we face, it certainly doesn’t get any easier. We have a lot to prove this season, and this schedule certainly gives us the opportunity to show what we are made of. You go into every season with renewed optimism. The one thing we did go through last season that we have never really experienced before was the significant number of injuries. It certainly led to a lot of the problems that we had last year. If we can stay healthy with our key players that should help tremendously. We are pretty solid throughout the line up. There are just a lot of intangibles in which we have to be better. I certainly think we have the ability to get back to being one of the top teams in the league."

GOAL
Going into last season, many thought the Knights would experience problems in goal with three untested netminders manning the crease. That did not turn out to be an issue as Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT) and Richie LaVeau (Arlington Heights, IL) turned in solid efforts during their rookie campaigns.

"Paul and Richie were thrown right into the fire as freshmen, and really performed well," said Roll. "We have the confidence that Paul is our number one guy coming in, but he will have to prove that. I am sure Richie is going to push Paul for time. He gained a lot of experience last year and should come back with plenty of confidence."

Despite playing with a broken hand throughout the second half of last season, Karpowich posted a .907 save percentage and a 2.85 goals against average playing in 27 contests, including 24 starts. He recorded 12 outings with 30-or-more stops, including two 40-save efforts, and finished with seven wins along with one shutout. Karpowich, a 2008 St. Louis draft choice (7th rd, 185), was honored three times as ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week.

LaVeau saw action in 11 games, including 10 starts, and finished with a .900 save percentage and a 2.96 GAA. He posted three wins, all in the 2009 portion of the schedule, and was named ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week once.

Freshman Cody Rosen (Kingston, ONT), who played a role in helping the Kingston Voyageurs to the OJHL Championship and a berth in the semifinals of the Royal Bank Cup Canadian Junior "A" Hockey Championships last season, will also vie for playing time. "Cody is a very good team player with a great work ethic who will provide us with added depth in the crease, and will push the other two for time," remarked Roll."

DEFENSE
Clarkson will have some holes to fill on the blueline after graduating three experienced defensemen, including two NHL Draft picks, who combined for 388 games. "We will be a little green on the blueline," stated Roll. "Bryan Rufenach and Mark Borowiecki have logged a lot of minutes back there, but other than that the returning guys have been in and out of the lineup. We also have two new guys back there who will challenge the veterans. We need some guys to step up and make a difference right from the get-go. It will be competitive back there with guys battling for playing time."

The lone senior on defense, Jeremiah Crowe (Kenmore, NY) will be counted upon to provide leadership, but he has seen limited action due to injuries, playing in only 55 career games.

Rufenach (Cameron, ONT), a 2007 Detroit draft choice (7th rd, 208), was Clarkson’s leading scorer from the blueline last season as a sophomore, connecting for nine goals and nine assists. Juniors Tom Pizzo (Rochester, NY) and Dan Reed (Walworth, NY) have gained valuable playing time the past two seasons and are capable stay-at-home defensemen.

Coming off a solid freshman campaign, Borowiecki (Kanata, ONT) was an impact player for the Knights last winter. The 2008 Ottawa draft pick (5th rd, 139) battled injuries throughout the season, but still played in 33 games as a defensive stalwart. "I know he did not get league honors, but in my book Mark was one of the top defensive-defensemen in ECAC Hockey," said Roll. "He is a guy who competes hard and finishes every check. Mark battles like no other guy I have seen back there."

Freshmen Andrew Himelson (Monroe, NY) and Nik Pokulok (Vandreuil-Dorion, QUE) will both have plenty of opportunity for significant playing time.

An offensive-minded defenseman, Himelson established himself as a well-rounded rearguard for Des Moines in the USHL in 2008-09. Pokulok is an impressive addition to the Clarkson roster after two strong seasons at Northwood Prep. At 6-5, 220-pounds, he is among the biggest players in the league and will provide an intimidating presence on the blueline.

FORWARDS
Emphasis will be placed upon the Knights’ fourteen forwards to revitalize the Clarkson offense, which scored just 88 goals last year, the lowest total for the program in 49 seasons. "I like our forwards," stated Roll. "I think they are capable of being more productive and can put up some big numbers. We look for the veterans to really put it together, and I think the new guys coming in really provide us with some scoring touch."

Beca, a 2008 third-team ECAC Hockey All-Star, has had three productive seasons, while classmate Tim Marks (Brownville, NY) has shown he is capable of being a force in front.

Looking to become the latest member of the Clarkson’s century club, Beca has accumulated 85 career points on 31 goals and 54 assists through 112 games. Last season, he was the Green and Gold’s fourth-leading scorer with 24 points (11-13). Coming off a disappointing junior campaign, when he tallied just one goal and six points, Marks will be looking to close out his collegiate career on a high note.

As sophomores last year, Freeman, Lauri Tuohimaa (Helsinki, Finland) and DeFazio made significant impacts and were catalysts of the offense.

Freeman led the way in scoring with a team-high 29 points, and was Clarkson’s top playmaker setting up 23 goals. "I thought Scott was our best player from start to finish last year," remarked Roll. "He battled through a lot of injuries and was very effective for us. He really enjoyed a breakout season."

Tuohimaa (9-9) and DeFazio (7-11) both recorded 18 points and were contributors on the power play with three man-advantage markers apiece.

With a year of experience under their belts, sophomores Julien Cayer (Longueuil, QUE), Jake Morley (Ogdensburg, NY), Louke Oakley (Whitby, ONT), Corey Tamblyn (Bobcaygeon, ONT) and Nick Tremblay (Candiac, QUE) will be expected to make more of an impact. Junior Eric Daddario (Medford, MA) is in line for playing time after two years with the program.

Hampered by injuries throughout most of the season, Cayer, a 2008 Detroit draft selection (5th rd, 151) picked up his play down the stretch and finished with 10 points (4-6). Morley has good size and strength, and plays a physical role on the checking lines. A versatile player who also saw time on defense, Oakley is a very good two-way player who can be effective around the net. With added confidence, Tamblyn can make a contribution up front. Clarkson’s leading rookie scorer, and one of only three Knights, along with Freeman and Tuohimaa, to skate in all 36 games, Tremblay has the potential to be a top forward in ECAC Hockey. The 2008 Boston draft pick (6th rd, 173) tallied 11 points (4-7) and netted three game-winning goals.

The three incoming freshman forwards, Pete Massar (Williston, VT), Adam Pawlick (Utica, NY) and Matt Wilson (Liverpool, NY), bring a high level of competitiveness and offensive ability that will enhance Clarkson’s scoring efforts.

Massar was the second-leading scorer for the Green Mountain Glades of the EJHL, scoring 16 goals and 38 assists last season for Chris Line’s (Clarkson ’02) squad. Pawlick is a dangerous scoring threat who tallied 20 power-play goals for Sioux City in the USHL in 2008-09. Wilson, the nephew of Clarkson’s all-time leading goal scorer, Kevin Zappia ’79, played for the Syracuse Stars in the EJHL last winter and put up 61 points on 23 goals and 38 assists through 44 games.