Bemidji, MN - A career night by sophomore goaltender Dustin Traylen (Kirkland, QUE) and a stunning third-period rally lifted the Clarkson University Men’s Hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Bemidji State in the season opener in Minnesota Friday night.
Traylen posted a career-best 40 saves and senior Jean Desrochers (Dalhousie, QUE) scored two goals to make it a successful Clarkson head-coaching debut for George Roll.
Trailing 2-0 midway through the second period, Clarkson began its rally at 13:29 of the second stanza when junior Mac Faulkner (King City, ONT) lifted in a rebound off freshman defenseman Nathan Beausoleil’s (Moose Creek, ONT) shot from the point for a power-play goal. The Knights, who were outshot 20-3 in the middle frame, tied the contest just 28 seconds into the third as Desrochers (Dalhousie, QUE) converted off an assist from senior co-captain Tristan Lush (North Andover, MA). At 16:29, the Knights went on top when senior co-captain Rob McFeeters (Woodville, ONT) took a pass in the slot from Lush and slipped in a backhand for a 3-2 Clarkson lead. Desrochers sealed the Knights’ first season-opening victory in four years with an empty-net goal with one second left.
“Dustin kept us in the game, there was no doubt about it,” stated Roll. “They completely controlled the play for the first two periods. We showed moments, but they dominated us for the first 40 minutes. Obviously I thought we played a much better third period. We are certainly lucky to get the win, but I give our guys credit. They didn’t die after it was 2-0. They fought back hard and we came away with the win.”
Preseason favorites to win College Hockey America, Bemidji State outshot Clarkson 42-22. The Knights were 1-of-6 on the power play, while the Beavers went 0-of-5 with the man-advantage.
