Season Outlook: Clarkson Looks to Return to Top Form

For a program with a rich history of tradition and success, the past two seasons in Potsdam, NY have been a humbling experience for the Clarkson University Hockey team. As recently as 2007-08, the Golden Knights were among the cream of the crop at the top of Division I Hockey, coming off consecutive ECACHockey titles and back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament. But after advancing to within one game of the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four, it seems everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Green and Gold, who have experienced a downward spiral that hit rock bottom last year. Clarkson, plagued by injuries that saw 13 players miss a combined 66 games, posted a 9-24-4 overall record in 2009-10 and finished in 12th place in ECAC Hockey with a 4-15-3 league mark.

2010 ECAC Preseason Coaches Poll

The Golden Knights will look to get back on the road to redemption in 2010-11. By focusing on working hard, battling every shift, and creating and making the most of their opportunities, along with staying healthy, eighth-year head coach George Roll and his staff, associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Chris Rogles, believe the Green and Gold can get back to being recognized among the most respected teams in college hockey. The Clarkson program also receives a boost this season with the addition of Max Prokopy as the Golden Knights’ first full-time strength and conditioning coach.

Twenty-one lettermen return, including seven seniors, for Clarkson, which enters its 89th season of play this winter, giving the Knights one of their most experienced teams in recent years. The addition of nine promising recruits will make for a deep roster, which includes seven NHL Draft picks, providing plenty of competition for playing time.

"I think the biggest thing for us this season will be that we have much more depth," stated Roll. "We were really left with a depleted lineup last year due to all the injuries. This season with nine new guys coming in it will be a much more competitive environment, which we need to obtain our goals. We’ve added skilled players and guys that bring us some grit and toughness, an area that we need to improve upon. We have the ability to achieve our goals, and being more competitive in every practice and game will play a big part in that. The harder you compete, the better your chances for success."

Celebrating the 20th season at Cheel Arena highlights Clarkson’s 2010-11 campaign. The Golden Knights will have 17 regular-season home dates in their arena during the 34-game schedule. With nine of their first 12 games in Potsdam, the Knights will look to use their home-ice advantage to jump out to a quick start.

"We have an opportunity to establish ourselves at home early in the season," stated Roll. "Cheel has been a great home-ice advantage for us, but it slipped away from us the past couple of years. We want to make the most of our home games in October and November and get out of the gate fast and gain some momentum for the schedule ahead."

The Knights hold their first official practice on October 2 before hosting Carleton University in an exhibition contest on Sunday, October 3 beginning at 4:00 pm. Clarkson officially opens the season on Friday and Saturday, October 8-9 at the Mutual of Omaha Stampede in Omaha, NE.

The Knights are 217-88-34 (.690 winning percentage) overall at Cheel starting with the 1991-92 campaign, but have won just 12 NCAA Division I games in Potsdam over the past two seasons. 

GOALTENDER:

With three veterans vying for playing time, the Knights have experience, talent and competition in the crease. Junior Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT) has seen the bulk of the playing time for the Green and Gold the past two seasons with 55 career starts, but he will be challenged by classmate Richie LaVeau (Arlington Heights, IL) and sophomore Cody Rosen (Kingston, ONT). 

"Down the stretch, once Chris Rogles got here and was able to work with him, I thought Paul played very well," stated Roll. "In the last 8 to 10 games, he got to the level where we need him to be at. If Paul can pick up where he left off last season, we should be all set in goal. But if he doesn’t, certainly Richie and Cody will be challenging for time. We have confidence in all three guys, and if one of them falters the other two guys will get opportunities."

Karpowich was busy between the pipes last season, posting 18 games where he turned aside 30-or-more shots, including six 40-save efforts and a career-high 51-save performance. A 2008 St. Louis Blues draft choice (7th round), Karpowich finished with an 8-19-4 record with a .898 save percentage and a 3.48 goals against average through 31 games. 

LaVeau played in 10 games last season, including six starts. He posted a 1-5 record, a .895 save percentage and a 3.33 GAA. LaVeau made a career-high 46 saves at Minnesota-Duluth.

Rosen saw limited time as a rookie, with just 20 minutes of NCAA action, but will come into his sophomore campaign with plenty of confidence and pressing for more playing time after being selected in this summer’s NHL Draft by the NY Islanders (7th round, 185 overall).

DEFENSE:

The core of Clarkson’s defense returns with six lettermen back on the blueline. Three promising freshmen add to the mix, giving the Knights a back end with the potential to be one of the best shutdown units in the conference. Much of the defense’s success will rest in the stingy play of junior Mark Borowiecki (Kanata, ONT), and the Knights could not be in better hands. An underrated rearguard in terms of league honors, Borowiecki has been a consistent top performer for the Green and Gold through two tough seasons. The fifth-round, 2008 NHL draft selection of Ottawa combines both a physical, battling style and an offensive touch when needed. He provided several key goals last year and finished with eight goals and 19 points. 

Clarkson’s leading scorer from the blueline in each of the past two seasons, senior Bryan Rufenach (Cameron, ONT) will look for a solid campaign both offensively and defensively as he closes out his collegiate career. A 2007, seventh-round NHL Draft choice of Detroit, Rufenach tallied 20 points and 15 assists last winter. 

"Mark and Bryan had very good years for us," said Roll. "Mark, I thought offensively really became a factor. Bryan had another step in the right direction in terms of his improved play. The young guys came along and really played well down the stretch. I think our defense is a pretty solid core back there. With more depth this year we will have guys who will be able to step in if injuries do occur. Last year we were not able to do that and had to play forwards back on the blueline, and it really cost us in a number of situations. It will be much more competitive with guys vying for playing time."

Seniors Tom Pizzo (Rochester, NY) and Dan Reed (Walworth, NY) have three years of experience under their belts as stay-at-home defensemen and will provide leadership on the ice and in the locker room.

At the end of last season, Andrew Himelson (Monroe, NY) and Nik Pokulok (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QUE) had developed into solid Division I defensemen, giving them the prospects to be blueline leaders during their sophomore campaigns. Himelson overcame injuries midway through last season and emerged as a go-to guy in the offensive zone. He finished with nine points and eight assists through 22 games. The biggest player on the Knights’ roster, Pokulok used his size and strength to become a stalwart on the backline. He was the only Clarkson defenseman to play in all 37 games. 

Rookies Alex Boak (Norwood, NY) and David Pratt (Napanee, ONT) are coming off standout junior careers and should make significant contributions in their first years at Clarkson. Junior Kris Massaro (Allison Park, PA) and freshman Chase Fuchs (Severna Park, MD) will being looking to make the team with strong preseason showings.

FORWARDS:

With numerous players out of the lineup for long stretches of the season due to injuries the Knights were rarely in sync offensively and struggled to find the back of the net. Clarkson’s forwards accounted for just 76 goals combined in 2009-10, and the team managed only 92 overall, ranking 46th in the nation with 2.92 goals per game. 

There is, however, all kinds of potential for the Knights to generate a productive offense. Although last year’s leading scorer Matt Beca (38 points and 20 goals) graduated this past spring, twelve lettermen return up front, including the remaining six top scoring forwards. Six incoming freshmen, with impressive resumes, will push the veterans and give the Green and Gold plenty of depth at forward, something that was sorely missing last season.

"We need to have guys step to the forefront," stated Roll. "Matt Beca had a great year, but after that there was not a whole lot in scoring. I thought some guys had decent years, but we need to pick it up offensively. We are not the type of team to rely upon one or two players. There is a lot of potential with our lineup up front to score goals, but we need guys to play to the top of their abilities game in and game out if we are to have success."

Seniors Brandon DeFazio (Oakville, ONT) and Scott Freeman (Whitby, ONT), who helped pace the Clarkson offense last winter, will be looked upon to put up big numbers as they close out their collegiate campaigns. DeFazio was the Knights’ second-leading scorer with 26 points on 12 goals and 14 assists. Clarkson’s leading scorer in 2008-09 as a sophomore, Freeman tallied 24 points, including 17 assists, as the team’s third-leading scorer last season. He is within reach of the coveted century mark with 69 career points (18-51). 

A steady contributor through his first two seasons, junior Louke Oakley (Whitby, ONT) should once again challenge for the Clarkson scoring lead. Oakley was Clarkson’s leading playmaker in 2009-10 with 19 assists and finished with 22 points through 33 games. Classmate Nick Tremblay (Candiac, QUE) tallied 20 points and 17 assists as a sophomore, but the 2008, sixth-round Boston Bruins draft choice has the ability to be a dynamic offensive talent in ECAC Hockey.

Junior Corey Tamblyn (Bobcaygeon, ONT) provided a bright spot for Clarkson last season as the Knights’ most improved player. After recording just one assist in 2008-09, it all started to come together for Tamblyn late in the first semester last year when he emerged as a dependable force up front. He finished his sophomore campaign with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points. 

Last year’s leading rookie scorer Adam Pawlick (Utica, NY) and junior Jake Morley (Ogdensburg, NY) came through with some key goals and will be counted upon to make a bigger impact this winter. Pawlick scored nine goals, including a team-high six on the power play. Battling through injuries, Morley produced eight points and five goals.

A solid, defensive forward, senior Lauri Tuohimaa (Helsinki, Finland) was the lone Clarkson player to post a positive in the plus/minus column last year. He failed, however, to score a goal, recording just six assists, after tallying 18 points and nine goals in 2008-09. Junior Julien Cayer (Longueuil, Quebec), a 2008, fifth-round Detroit draft selection, was slowed by injuries, missing the final 11 games, and posted just five points (2-3).

Senior Eric Daddario (Medford, MA), who saw his first NCAA action last year, and sophomores Pete Massar (Williston, VT) and Matt Wilson (Liverpool, NY) gained experience last year on the checking lines and will strive for bigger roles.

If the offense improves this year or not could depend on whether some members of the Class of 2014 emerge into steady contributors. The coaching staff feels strongly that Jarrett Burton (Echo, ONT), Will Frederick (Allison Park, PA), Mike Garlasco (Mahwah, NJ), Allan McPherson (Kinburn, ONT), Ben Sexton (Kanata, ONT), a 2009, seventh-round Boston draft choice, and Matt Zarbo (Grand Island, NY) have the ability to help increase the Knights’ offensive production this winter.