A three-goal, first-period lead would not hold up for the Clarkson University Hockey team as the Golden Knights fell to 12th-ranked Minnesota 4-3 in overtime before 2,815 fans at Cheel Arena on Friday night.
Clarkson, which played its third consecutive game against a Top-15th ranked team, drops to .500 on the year with a 3-3-1 overall record. The Knights close out season-opening, non-conference play hosting Wisconsin on Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. face off.
The Gophers outshot Clarkson 36-22, including a 24-10 margin combined over the final 40 minutes of regulation play. The Knights were 1-of-5 on the power play while Minnesota went 2-of-6 with the man-advantage.
The Knights were all over Minnesota (3-2) in the opening 20 minutes and jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
Junior defenseman Kelly Summers started the Clarkson scoring with his first of the year, finishing off a give-and-go with classmate Sam Vigneault on a shot from the bottom of the left circle at 5:53.
Clarkson’s freshmen line made it 2-0 when Sheldon Rempal scored from the slot at 16:56 with Devin Brosseau and Nico Sturm setting up the play.
With just 16 seconds left in the first, Clarkson connected on the power play when freshman Haralds Egle found a loose puck at the top of the crease and swept in his first goal as a Golden Knight. Rempal and Brosseau.
A pair of power-play goals by the Gophers two minutes apart midway through the middle frame gave Minnesota the momentum, cutting the Knights’ lead to 3-2 after 40 minutes.
Mike Szmatula put Minnesota on the scoreboard at 10:35 lifting in a rebound in front just 10 seconds into their third power-play opportunity of the night. At 12:38, Leon Bristedt scored the Gopher’s second power-play goal.
Minnesota tied it up early in the third with Justin Kloos’ score at 4:11.
The Gophers then skated away with the victory at 1:57 into overtime as Bristedt connected for the game-winner in front.
Freshman Jake Kielly made 32 saves for Clarkson. Eric Schierhorn finished with 19 stops for Minnesota.
