Freshman Nick Tremblay (Candiac, QUE) tallied a goal and an assist, highlighting a balanced effort in the Clarkson University Hockey team’s 4-2 victory over Rensselaer before 3,633 fans at Houston Field House in Troy, NY on Friday night.
Four different Golden Knights scored goals as Clarkson tallied twice in each of the first two periods and held off the Engineers in the third to extend it current unbeaten streak to three games (2-0-1). The Knights, who stand at 10-16-7 overall and 8-9-4 in ECAC Hockey, can clinch 7th place in the standings and gain home ice for the opening round of the upcoming playoffs with a victory at Union on Saturday in the final game of the regular season.
A pair of power-play goals 61 seconds apart late in the first period spark Clarkson to the quick start at Rensselaer.
For the sixth straight game, Clarkson opened the contest with the first goal. For the third time in the past four outings, sophomore defenseman Bryan Rufenach (Cameron, ONT) was the Knight who began the scoring. Skating on a 4-on-3 man advantage at 13:01, Rufenach swept in a loose puck from just outside the crease for his ninth goal of the season, finishing off assists from seniors Shea Guthrie (Carleton Place, ONT) and Chris D’Alvise (Mississauga, ONT). Freshman Louke Oakley (Whitby, ONT) continued Clarkson’s success with the man-advantage when he connected for his third collegiate goal on a wrist shot from the slot with senior Phil Paquet (Quebec City, QUE) and Tremblay assisting.
Tremblay took advantage of a miscue by the Engineers’ goaltender when he knocked in a loose puck in the crease for his fourth goal of the year, putting the Green and Gold on top 3-0 at 8:22 of the second.
Sophomore Brandon DeFazio’s (Oakville, ONT) goal on a snap shot while coming down the right side at 14:11 of the second gave Clarkson its first four-goal lead of the season. Guthrie and D'Alvise recorded their second assists of the night on the goal.
RPI (7-24-2, 6-14-1), which was outshot 19-7 through the first two periods, put together its best period in the third, scoring twice on 12 shots. Chase Polacek scored at 10:44 and Tyler Helfrich slapped in a backhander from the slot at 13:29.
Clarkson outshot the Engineers, 23-19. Freshman Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT) finished with four saves in the first period, three in the second and 10 in the third for a 17-save total.
The Knights went 2-of-7 on the power play and killed off all six of Rensselaer’s man-advantage opportunities.
