Golden Knights Rest Up

Following this weekend's offensive explosion, the attitude of the future of this Golden Knights fan significantly improved. Nick Dodge's tip in game winner on Friday and Saturday's shooting gallery proved to me, and maybe to the rest of the league and nation that Clarkson's 8th ranking in the nation is well deserved. However with the past weekend behind us it's time to start to look at who the Knights could face in the second round of the ECAC playoffs.

#12 Dartmouth

Season Series: 1-1
Goal differential: Darmouth +1

Clarkson rode a Tims Mark hat trick to a 4-3 victory in Cheel. Dartmouth's Mike Devine turned away 36 shots to defeat the Knights 3-1 in Hanover.

Dartmouth is truly an enigma, they own wins over Vermont, BU and UNH, but have been swept by RPI, SLU, and Brown. Dartmouth takes on #5 Cornell this weekend at Lynah. Cornell is in a bit of a down year, and Dartmouth has shown ability to raise their game in big situations. Senior goaltender Mike Devine can steal a game pretty much any time, he is also susceptible to the stinker. Dartmouth's leading scorer is probable ECAC first teamer Mike Jones. Fellow senior and linemate TJ Wyman is the other major scoring threat. If Clarkson can shut down the first line it is likely that Clarkson will sweep the series. However as we saw in Hanover, and to an extent in Albany last season, Dartmouth is a team that can give the Knights fits in the post season.

First things first though, the Big Green need to get over the hurdle challenging them in Lynah Rink. If Dartmouth does win the series, the only team they can play in the second round is Clarkson, regardless of any other upsets in the first round.