Clarkson Trims Princeton 3-2
POTSDAM — Clarkson’s team motto for this season is, “Don’t Back Down.”
The Golden Knights proved it’s more than words for a fourth straight home game, falling behind twice, but coming away with a 3-2 victory over Princeton before 2,191 fans in an ECAC Hockey game at Cheel Arena Friday night.
In each of their last four home games, the Golden Knights have trailed twice, but Clarkson has gone 3-0-1 in those contests.
“These games that we get down, I think it shows good character for us coming back to get the two points,” Clarkson’s Ben Sexton said. “I think we bent, but we didn’t break. We have to get better in the first 10 minutes of the first and second period.”
The comeback streak started with Clarkson’s home game against Brown on Jan. 14. The Golden Knights trailed 1-0 and 2-1 and salvaged a 2-2 tie. The next day against Yale the Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 and 3-1, but won 5-4 in overtime. On. Jan. 21, St. Lawrence University led 2-1 and 3-2, but Clarkson won 4-3.
“I thought we were resilient,” Clarkson coach Casey Jones said. “I thought we found a way. I didn’t think we had our ‘A’ game, so to speak. I thought that had a lot to do with Princeton, they hemmed us in a bit.”
The goal that gave Clarkson (14-12-5 overall, 8-6-3 conference) the win showed the grit the team has played with of late.
Patrick Marsh brought the puck into Princeton’s zone and the Tigers broke up the play. Sexton, who centers the line, got the puck and fought his way through a few Tiger defenders behind the net, then found Allan McPherson alone near the crease and whipped a pass, leaving McPherson an empty net to deposit the goal.
McPherson’s goal at 8 minutes, 4 seconds of the third period held up as the game-winner.
“That was a phenomenal pass,” McPherson said. “He found me in front and no one picked me up, so I just tapped it in. The play started with Marsh taking it hard to the net.”
Said Sexton, “I kind of got tied up down low and Marsh did a good job protecting the puck and cycled it back. I took a quick look and saw (McPherson) in front. Any time you can get in on a goal, it’s nice. I’m more a setup guy than a goal-scorer.”
Jones was pleased with the play, not only because it gave his team a win, but because it showed exactly what he’s been teaching the players in practice.
“You have to keep forechecks alive,” Jones said. “If you just pull out every time the puck changes direction you are not going to have any sustained offensive pressure. Ben did a good job of sustaining that forecheck by chasing it down, staying on top, and being strong with the puck.”
Princeton (7-11-6, 5-9-3), coached by former SLU player and assistant coach Bob Prier, was disappointed with the loss, but not disappointed with the team’s effort.
The Tigers led 1-0 at 10:01 of the first period after a power-play goal from defenseman Michael Sdao, an Ottawa Senators draft pick. Princeton built a 2-1 lead at 3:36 of the third when another defenseman, Kevin Ross, scored on a slap shot from the blue line.
“That’s the way it goes sometimes,” Prier said of the outcome. “They did a great job of capitalizing on their opportunities. I thought we certainly generated just as many. But they did a great job of getting their sticks on some and blocking some and that’s just the way it goes sometimes. They are a heck of a team and they deserved the win. They played extremely hard and they played extremely well, and so did our guys. This is the way games are going to be from here on out.”
nNOTES:Louke Oakley scored Clarkson’s first goal off a pass from Nick Tremblay at 16:01 of the first period. “Trembs made a nice saucer pass to me,” Oakley said. ... Freshman defenseman Sam Labrecque scored a power-play goal on a slap shot from the blue line at 5:23 of the second. Labrecque missed the third period with an undisclosed injury. ... Clarkson is now in fourth place in the ECAC Hockey standings, when going by win percentage. Clarkson can pass Harvard, which had played one more game than the Golden Knights, with a win at 7 p.m. tonight against Quinnipiac.
