March
17, 2007
ECACHL Finals
Knight
Revival Completes Title
Clarkson's four-goal third period delivers
ECACHL crown
| Clarkson
4, Quinnipiac 2 |
| Team |
Goal |
Str |
| Time |
Assists |
| First
Period |
| 1-QU |
Jean-Marc
Beaudoin (8) |
EV |
| 0:32 |
Unassisted |
| 2-QU |
Bryan
Leitch (12) |
PP |
| 19:54 |
J.
Bates, B. Nelson |
| Second
Period |
| No
scoring |
| Third
Period |
| 1-CLK |
Chris
D'Alvise (16) |
EV |
| 1:43 |
S.
Guthrie |
| 2-CLK |
Philippe
Paquet (3) |
EV |
| 12:30 |
S.
Zalewski, S. Weller |
| 3-CLK |
Brodie
Rutherglen (8) |
EV |
| 13:20 |
C.
D'Alvise, S. Guthrie |
| 4-CLK |
Shawn
Weller (19) |
EN |
| 19:04 |
C.
D'Alvise |
| Goaltending |
| QU:
Bud Fisher, 58:53, 26 saves, 3 GA |
| CLK:
David Leggio, 60:00, 23 saves, 2 GA |
| Penalties:
QU 6/12; CLK 6/12 |
| Power
Plays: QU 1-6; CLK 0-6 |
| Attendance:
5,565 |
| All-Tournament
Team |
G:
Bud Fisher, Quinnipiac
D: Reid Cashman, Quinnipiac
D: Philippe Paquet, Clarkson
F: Chris D'Alvise, Clarkson (Most Outstanding Player)
F: Ben Nelson, Quinnipiac
F: Shawn Weller, Clarkson |
Nick Dodge, who entered the ECAC Hockey League
championship game as Clarkson's leading scorer, was surprisingly
absent from the scoresheet as the Golden Knights captured
their fifth league playoff title Saturday night.
But that's not to say the captain didn't make
an impact.
"Our leader, Nick Dodge, took everyone
in the locker room and brought us together," Weller
said of the second intermission, when Clarkson trailed Quinnipiac,
2-0. "He said we've done it before, and we'll do it
again. He got us prepared to do it."
The Golden Knights responded, scoring 1:43
into the third period and twice more approximately 11 and
12 minutes later to erase Quinnipiac's lead and secure their
first league playoff championship since 1999. Already assured
of an NCAA Tournament bid, Clarkson will be making its first
appearance in the national tourney since that season.
Quinnipiac goaltender Bud Fisher, brilliant
through two periods, succumbed in the third while facing
15 Golden Knight shots. The loss ended an impressive playoff
run for the Bobcats, who finish the season 21-14-5 and reached
the ECACHL championship game for the first time.
For two periods, it appeared that the Bobcats
would leave with their first ECACHL title. They jumped to
a 1-0 lead on Jean-Marc Beaudoin's unassisted goal just
32 seconds into the game and added a second goal in the
final six seconds of the period. Meanwhile, Fisher was steady
and Quinnipiac's defense and forwards limited Clarkson to
just six shots on goal, despite four Golden Knight power
plays.
A scoreless second set up what could have
been a frustrating final 20 minutes for the Clarkson-heavy
crowd at Times Union Center in Albany. Instead, Dodge's
inspiration helped turn things around.
Clarkson's first two goals resulted from aggressive
moves behind the net. On the first, Shea Guthrie’s
wraparound was denied by Fisher before Chris D’Alvise
punched home the rebound.
Philippe Paquet took advantage of a centering
pass from Shawn Weller from behind the net at 12:30 of the
third, tying the score and setting off a wild celebration.
Momentum properly seized, the Golden Knights
scored again 50 seconds later, as D'Alvise made a nice move
to the middle off the ice, then got a pass off to Brodie
Rutherglen while being knocked to the ice.
Weller sealed the win with an empty-net goal
with just 56 seconds remaining.
ST. LAWRENCE REBOUNDS WITH WIN
| St.
Lawrence 5, Dartmouth 3 |
| Team |
Goal |
Str |
| Time |
Assists |
| First
Period |
| 1-D |
Nick
Johnson (14) |
EV |
| 19:36 |
D.
Jones |
| Second
Period |
| 2-D |
T.J.
Galiardi (14) |
PP |
| 2:05 |
N.
Johnson |
| 1-SLU |
Kevin
DeVergilio (9) |
EV |
| 6:47 |
M.
Generous, D. Keller |
| 2-SLU |
Mike
McKenzie (11) |
EV |
| 7:33 |
D.
Bagnall, K. Rank |
| 3-D |
J.T.
Wyman (13) |
EV |
| 10:54 |
T.J.
Galiardi, B. Lovejoy |
| 3-SLU |
Jeremiah
Cunningham (7) |
EV |
| 12:20 |
M.
Wallmann |
| Third
Period |
| 4-SLU |
Mike
McKenzie (12) |
EV |
| 11:27 |
D.
Bagnall, A. Sandrzyk |
| 5-SLU |
Max
Taylor (13) |
EN |
| 19:52 |
A.
Curran |
| Goaltending |
| D:
Mike Devine, 58:49, 37 saves, 4 GA |
| SLU:
Alex Petizian, 59:55, 24 saves, 3 GA |
| Penalties:
D 3/6; SLU 2/4 |
| Power
Plays: DC 1-2; SLU 0-3 |
| Attendance:
5,565 |
Mike McKenzie scored two goals as St. Lawrence
beat Dartmouth 5-3 in the ECAC Hockey League third-place
game on Friday evening, essentially locking up a spot in
the 2007 NCAA Tournament for the Saints.
The Saints improve to 23-13-2, while Dartmouth,
which also entertained NCAA hopes with a win and help from
other teams later in the day, finishes its season 18-12-3.
The Big Green claimed a 2-0 lead on a late
first-period goal and another at 2:05 of the second, with
Nick Johnson compiling a goal and an assist in the process.
The Saints battled back from the 2-0 deficit
to tie the score on goals from Kevin DeVergilio and McKenzie
within 46 seconds in the second period.
J.T. Wyman gave Dartmouth the lead back, but
St. Lawrence answered and took the lead for good on McKenzie’s
second goal of the night at 11:27 of the third period.
“This was a very emotional game for
our guys,” said Saint coach Joe Marsh. “It is
hard to explain because we have never been in a consolation
game since I have been here, but it was a game we knew we
had to win if we wanted to keep playing. The big thing was
to play hard and get the good feelings back and then hope
to play some more tomorrow.
“This was a big response by us. We were
as low as we’ve been all year after the semifinal
loss, and that makes this response particularly impressive,”
Marsh added.
|
INCH's Three Stars of the Weekend
|
|
3.
Steve Zalewski, Clarkson
Had the winner Friday night and set up the game-tying
goal on Saturday.
2.
Bud Fisher, Quinnipiac
Fisher didn't allow a goal in his first five periods
in Albany, and none that Clarkson got were cheap.
1.
Chris D'Alvise, Clarkson
Clarkson's stable of forwards was impressive all night,
but D'Alvise was the best in the decisive third period.
He scored the Knights' first goal and assisted on
the game-winner. |
PLUSSES AND MINUSES
Philippe
Paquet proved that the best frozen tundra in the world is
a sheet of ice. After the Clarkson defenseman scored to
tie the game 2-2, he did a Lambeau Leap impression, grabbing
the top of the glass in front of the Clarkson faithful.
Rensselaer
head coach Seth Appert took advantage of his proximity to
Albany, bringing his entire team to see what they are shooting
for next season.
The
league unveiled its new brand and logo, a stronger look
that breaks from the traditional oval used by the ECAC in
other sports.
After
two years of the "ECAC Hockey League", the league
loses "League" with its new brand. It's not a
bad idea, but just as we were used to writing "ECACHL,"
we've been told to drop the L. And spell out the H. Sigh.
Matt
McConnell noted on CSTV that Clarkson's title may earn it
a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the chance to play
a regional "close to Potsdam." But we checked;
there's no Regional in Canton this year, and we're not aware
of anything else that's close to Potsdam.
WHAT'S NEXT
Clarkson and St. Lawrence will play on, as
the revival enjoyed in the North Country this season continues
on the national stage.
Dartmouth and Quinnipiac both will miss the
tournament, but served notice that they should be expected
back in Albany soon. Only two of Dartmouth's top 10 scorers
are seniors, while goaltender Mike Devine is a junior. Star
defenseman Reid Cashman is the only regular expected to
depart from Rand Pecknold's lineup.
Information from the participating schools'
sports information departments was used in this report.