The long bus ride home from central Ohio will be a little more enjoyable for the Clarkson University Hockey team Sunday night after the Golden Knights broke out of a five-game losing skid with a 3-2 victory over #12-ranked Bowling Green State University.
Clarkson relied upon a strong outing from the specialty teams, a solid effort in goal and scores from three different players to hand the Falcons (12-5-5) their first loss of the season at the BGSU Ice Arena, snapping Bowling Green’s 14-game home unbeaten streak.
The Knights, who improve to 8-9-2 overall after winning their final non-league game of the season, are now off until Tuesday, January 12 when they resume ECAC Hockey play hosting archrival St. Lawrence at Cheel Arena.
Head Coach Casey Jones postgame audio
Outshot 32-19 by Bowling Green, Clarkson was near perfect on the specialty teams, scoring on its lone man-advantage opportunity of the game, while killing off four of the Falcons’ five power-play chances, including a five-minute major. BGSU’s lone power-play goal came with a two-man advantage with 50 seconds remaining and the Falcons’ goaltender pulled for the extra attacker.
Junior Troy Josephs tallied the Green and Gold’s first shorthanded goal of the season, senior Jeff DiNallo connected for a power-play marker and sophomore Sam Vigneault came through with the game-winner, his team-high third deciding goal of the year.
Making his fifth start of the season, senior Greg Lewis was on top of his game and picked up the win, turning aside 26 of 27 shots before leaving the game due to injury at 8:50 of the third period. Junior Steve Perry came on in relief and made four saves over the final 11:10 of play.
Bowling Green opened the scoring with Tyler Spezia’s goal at 12:48 of the first, but that was it for the Falcons’ offense until the final minute of play.
With just six seconds remaining in the first, Josephs stole the puck behind the Bowling Green net and scored on the wrap around to tie the game with his fourth goal of the season. It was the third consecutive game Josephs has scored a goal and it was the Knights’ first shorthanded tally in almost a year.
Clarkson went on top 2-1 at 10:35 of the middle frame when DiNallo scored his second goal of the season, and first since the October 17 win at UNH, with a power-play marker off assists from sophomores Brett Gervais and Terrance Amorosa.
Vigneault continued Clarkson’s momentum early in the third when he netted his sixth goal of the season, finishing off a pass from senior Christian Powers at the doorstep at 2:16.
Bowling Green’s Brandon Hawkins made it 3-2 at 19:10 with a power-play score, and the Falcons went on their fifth man-advantage with four seconds remaining. Josephs, however, won the ensuing faceoff back into the corner and the Knights killed off the remaining seconds to pick up their first victory since November 28.
