SLU Weekend (Part III) - Clarkson at St. Lawrence

Ron and I could not be at Appleton Arena for the third meeting between Clarkson and SLU due to an alumni function. However we were able to catch the game over the air waves and can piece together a recap from that.

This was a must win game for SLU. Plain and simple. SLU had a three game losing streak in conference play, a two game losing streak to Clarkson and had seen their national standings take hit after hit, with Wisconsin and UVM losing games. This was their game, in their barn, and SLU played as a team that desperately needed to win. With this mindset, they almost did not earn the W. Clarkson outplayed SLU for the first 20 minutes, but a less than stellar 2nd and 3rd period did the Knights in, resulting in a 5-4 defeat.

SLU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a TJ Trevelyan shorthanded goal. Which was answered on the same power play by Chris D'Alvise. Clarkson then found it's legs and pushed ahead to a 3-1 lead on goals from sophomores Shawn Weller and Nick Dodge. However SLU made it 3-2 late in the first on a Brock McBride goal that capped off a very different first period than the night before.

As soon as the offensive barrage appeared in the first, it melted away in the second. It was Trevelyan again at the 10:40 mark of the period providing the lone scoring in the 2nd and knotting the game at 3. Clarkson's second period woes continued as the Knights received a long 5 on 3 powerplay and could only manage one shot on goal.

Adam Hogg and John Zelier made it 4-3 and 5-3 respectively in the third. Clarkson pulled goaltender Kyle McNulty at the 57:07 mark to try and eek out 2 late goals. This almost came to fruition as David Cayer tallied his tenth goal of the season with 35 seconds left in regulation. Clarkson had a great opportunity to tie the game but as in the previous night with David Leggio, SLU netminder Justin Pesony made a ridiculous save and preserved the 5-4 victory for the Saints.

In my opinion SLU needed to win this game and they did. If they had been swept by Clarkson the tailspin effect could have ruined this season. The loss hurts Clarkson but not in such a manner that a three game sweep would have done in SLU. SLU took a good win away with them and should be a team to watch in the ECACHL playoffs.