Potsdam, NY - Five different Golden Knights scored goals, capped off by junior Chris D’Alvise’s (Mississauga, ONT) overtime game-winner as the Clarkson University Hockey team overcame an early deficit to gain a thrilling 5-4 triumph over archrival St. Lawrence University in the opening contest of the ECAC Hockey campaign on Saturday.
Ranked 7th in the country, Clarkson, which has won three straight, improves its overall record to 3-1, while 13th/15th-ranked St. Lawrence, which dropped its second in a row, falls to 2-2.
Skating on the power play after a holding penalty to the Saints’ Shawn Fensel 35 seconds into the extra session, D’Alvise lifted in a loose puck into a wide open net for his first goal of the season at 1:26, sending the overflow crowd of 3,695 fans at Cheel Arena into a frenzy. St. Lawrence’s goaltender Alex Petizian made a stop on senior Nick Dodge 's (Oakville, ONT) shot from the top of the crease, but could not control the rebound which laid at the side of the goal where D’Alvise calmly put the puck into the back of the net for his 25th career goal. Senior defenseman Grant Clitsome (Gloucester, ONT) also assisted.
St. Lawrence, which held a 3-0 first-period lead, fell behind 4-3 late in the third before Charlie Giffin tied it with 37 seconds left in regulation after the Saints pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker. Giffin tipped in a shot from the point by Zach Miskovic for his third goal of the year.
Clarkson came out strong to start the game, out shooting St. Lawrence 6-0 before the Saints registered their first shot on goal with 12:37 left in the opening period. St. Lawrence than took over the pace of the game with three straight goals to close out the opening 20 minutes with a 3-0 lead.
Kevin DeVergilio started the scoring for the visitors at 7:54 when he lifted in a shot over the glove shoulder of Clarkson’s senior goaltender David Leggio (Williamsville, NY) while being pulled down at the side of the net.
St. Lawrence made it 2-0 at 12:57 with its first power-play goal of the year. Matt Generous finished off a pass from Casey Parenteau during a scramble in front, scoring the first man-advantage marker against the Knights this season. With 45 seconds left in the period, Alex Curran took a pass at center ice, skated around a Clarkson defender and sent a quick wrist shot past Leggio for the three-goal margin.
With five minutes left in the second period, Clarkson got on the scoreboard when freshman defenseman Tom Pizzo (Rochester, NY) took a pass out of the corner by senior David Cayer (Longueuil, QUE) and connected on a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle for his first collegiate goal. Freshman Scott Freeman (Whitby, ONT) also assisted.
Clarkson continued to gain the momentum in the third, and struck for three straight goals to take the lead. Sophomore Tim Marks (Brownville, NY) knocked in a pass from classmate Matt Beca (Mississauga, ONT) for his first goal of the season, a power-play marker at 1:46. Senior Steve Zalewski (New Hartford, NY) tie the game at 3-3 when he knocked in his own rebound for an unassisted goal at 13:13. At 14:41, freshman Lauri Tuohimaa (Helsinki, Finland) put the Green and Gold on top for the first time in the game finishing off a passing combination from, junior Dan Tuttle (Augusta, ME) and D’Alvise.
Clarkson held a 34-27 advantage in shots. Leggio improved his record against St. Lawrence to 4-1 with a 23-save effort, including 10 stops in the second frame. Leggio’s biggest save of the game came with 10:30 left in the third and Clarkson trailing 3-2. St. Lawrence's Aaron Bogosian jumped out of the penalty box, picked up a loose puck at center ice and broke in alone on Leggio, who made a pad save in tight to keep the Knights within one goal of the Saints.
Petizian finished with 29 stops for St. Lawrence.
Clarkson was 2-of-4 on the power play, while the Saints were 1-of-4.
