TROY, N.Y. – The Clarkson University men's hockey team scored three goals in the third period to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 5-2, on Friday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Golden Knights improve to 5-5-1 (2-1-0 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 2-7-1 (1-4-0 ECAC Hockey).
Clarkson broke a 2-2 tie at 3:06 of the third period, when senior Troy Josephs (Whitby, ON/St. Michael's Buzzers) cleaned up a rebound at the left side of the net for his fourth goal of the year.
Freshman Haralds Egle (Liepaia, Latvia/Chicago Steel) saw his shot turned away by RPI sophomore goaltender
Chase Perry (Andover, MN/Wenatchee Wild), before Josephs stuck home the eventual game-winner.
The Golden Knights extended their lead to 4-2 four minutes later, thanks freshman Nico Sturm's (Augusburg, Germany/Tri-City Storm) first collegiate tally. Helpers went to sophomore blueliner Juho Jokiharju (Tampere, Finland/Lukko U20) and freshman Devin Brosseau (St. Lambert, PQ/Nanaimo Clippers).
Egle capped the scoring at 15:09, capitalizing on a rebound right in front of goal. Josephs drove the net before being denied on the doorstep by Perry. Egle was there to claim the loose puck and stuck it home for his second goal of the season.
Junior defenseman Terrance Amorosa (Kirkland, PQ/Sioux City Musketeers) opened the scoring with a power play goal at 5:04 of the first period. His shot from the top of the right circle found its way inside the right post for his first of the campaign. Assists were credited to Sturm and Jokiharju.
Rensselaer pulled even at 11:13, as sophomore
Brady Wiffen (St. Mary's, ON/Trenton Golden Hawks) buried his own rebound from a tight angle. A shot from junior
Viktor Liljegren (Stockholm, Sweden) caromed to Wiffen, who was open at the bottom of the left circle. His initial try was thwarted by the paddle of Clarkson freshman goaltender Jake Kielly (Eden Prairie, MN/Tri-City Storm), but the rebound fell to Wiffin, who lifted it over the fall netminder and inside the far post.
Clarkson regained its one-goal edge (2-1) at 11:37 of the second, thanks to junior Tyko Karjalainen's (Helsinki, Finald/Jokert U20) second goal of the season. Senior Jordan Boucher (St. Therese, PQ/Pembroke L.K.) found the defenseman flying into the zone, and Karjalainen whipped a shot inside the right bar from just across the blue line.
RPI drew even once again with just 31 seconds remaining in the second period. Taking advantage of a 5-on-3 power play, junior defenseman
Jared Wilson (Calgary, AB/Vernon Vipers) ripped home his team-leading sixth goal of the year from the right point, tying to game at 2-2. Assists went to sophomore
Evan Tironese (Qualicum Beach, BC/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) and freshman
Jacob Hayhurst (Missassauga, ON/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders).
???????Keilly (4-4-1) finished with 22 saves, while Perry (1-6-1) had 35 for the second game in a row. Clarkson finished 1 for 5 on the power play, with the Engineers winding up 1 for 6.
The Engineers return to action tomorrow night, when they host St. Lawrence at the Houston Field House (7pm). Clarkson visits Union tomorrow (7pm).
