All four lines contributed with five different Golden Knights scoring goals and junior David Leggio (Williamsville, NY) was steady in goal as the Clarkson University Hockey team won its ECAC Hockey League opener with a 5-2 victory over defending league tournament champion Harvard at Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, MA on Friday night.
Clarkson, which stands at 5-1-1 overall, plays at 2006 conference regular season champion Dartmouth on Saturday.
Senior Brodie Rutherglen (Trail, BC) started things off for the Knights at Harvard with his first goal of the season at 9:34 of the first when he tipped in a shot from freshman Tim Marks (Brownville, NY). Sophomore defenseman Adam Bellows (Lancaster, NY) also assisted.
Harvard tied it up at 12:36 on Doug Rogers’ goal just 22 seconds into the Crimson’s first power-play opportunity. Harvard made it 2-1 with Steve Rolecek’s goal at 4:12 of the second, but the Green and Gold roared back with four unanswered goals to gain their first league win on the road since last November.
Junior Shawn Weller (South Glens Falls, NY) started the Knights’ rally with his fourth goal of the season at 10:29 with junior David Cayer (Longueuil, QUE) and senior Matt Curley (Madrid, NY) assisting. Junior Nick Dodge (Oakville, ONT) put Clarkson on top 3-2 when he stole the puck at the Harvard blueline during a penalty kill and raced in on a breakaway, poking in the game-winner at 13:56 of the middle frame for his fifth collegiate shorthanded goal.
Clarkson added two more goals in the third to seal its first win at Harvard since November of 2003.
Senior Mike Sullivan (Stouffville, ONT) tallied in front for his first goal of the season when he got control of a bouncing puck off the boards for an unassisted marker at 2:08. Sophomore Chris D’Alvise (Mississauga, ONT) closed out the scoring during a four-on-four situation at 10:51 with classmate Shea Guthrie (Carleton Place, ONT) assisting.
The Knights out shot the Crimson 34-30. Leggio finished with 28 saves, including 14 stops over the final 20 minutes. Clarkson was held without a power-play goal for the first time of the season, going 0-of-6 with the man advantage. Harvard went 1-of-8 on the power play.
