The opening game of the ECAC Hockey campaign did not go as plan for the Clarkson University Hockey team on Friday night as the Golden Knights lost to sixth-ranked Quinnipiac 5-3 before 2,418 fans at Cheel Arena.
Clarkson, which has lost three straight, falls to 3-5-1 overall. The Knights host Princeton on Saturday in a 7:00 p.m. game.
Postgame Audio from Head Coach Casey Jones
The Knights fell into an early hole against the Bobcats as Quinnipiac scored twice in the opening five minutes. Kevin McKernan started things off with his first goal of the season during a scramble in front at 4:14. Just four seconds into the first man-advantage of the game, Tim Clifton scored his 17th career power-play goal on a shot from the bottom of the left circle at 5:04.
The Knights got on the scoreboard midway through the stanza on a great individual effort from junior Sam Vigneault. Vigneault took a pass off the right boards from freshman Sheldon Rempal skated down the wing, around a Quinnipiac defender and fired in a shot from the slot at 10:24 for his second goal of the year. Junior defenseman Kelly Summers also assisted.
Quinnipiac struck for two more goals early in the middle frame for a 4-1 lead. Tanner MacMaster scored at 1:36, followed by Tim Clifton’s second of the night at 2:42.
Less than a minute later the Knights came right back when freshman Sheldon Rempal converted a cross-ice pass from classmate Devin Brosseau at 3:12 on a shot from the right circle for his third goal of the season. Freshman linemate Nico Sturm also assisted.
The Bobcats built their lead to 5-2 with a power-play goal by Karlis Cukste at 6:47 of the final frame.
Senior Jordan Boucher got one back for Clarkson with his team-high seventh goal of the season with less than five minutes to play. Senior A.J. Fossen and freshman defenseman Jordan Schneider assisted.
Clarkson pulled the goaltender with just over two minutes remaining, but could not come up with another score.
Quinnipiac held a slight 29-28 edge in shots.
With freshman goaltender Jake Kielly out of the lineup due to an illness, senior Steve Perry got his second start of the season in the Knights’ net. Perry made nine stops on 13 shots through 23 minutes of action before being relieved by classmate Ville Runola early in the second period. Runola posted 15 saves and allowed a power-play goal.
Andre Shortridge made 25 saves for Quinnipiac.
The Knights went 0-of-5 on the power play, while the Bobcats were 2-of-6 on the man-advantage.
