POTSDAM, N.Y. – Senior Troy Josephs scored two goals and assisted on the eventual game-winner to lift the Clarkson University men’s hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in Game 2 of a best-of-three ECAC Hockey First Round playoff series at Cheel Arena. With the win, the Golden Knights improve to 17-14-5 and advance to the Quarterfinals, while the Engineers conclude their season at 8-28-1.
Josephs (Whitby, ON/St. Michael’s Buzzers) opened the scoring at 5:51 of the first period, redirecting a shot from the point by junior Kelly Summers (Golden Lake, ON/Carleton Place) past RPI sophomore goaltender Chase Perry (Andover, MN/Wenatchee Wild). Senior James de Haas (Mississauga, ON/Penticton Vees) picked up the secondary assist.
Rensselaer drew even (1-1) at 14:40 of the first, when senior captain Riley Bourbonnais (Rochester, NY/Lincoln Stars) tipped in a shot from the blue line by junior Jared Wilson (Calgary, AB/Vernon Vipers). Sophomore Evan Tironese (Qualicum Beach, BC/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) also had an assist on the play.
The Golden Knights regained the lead at 18:50 of the period, thanks to Josephs’ second man advantage tally of the game and team-leading 19th goal of the season. Summers once again earned the primary assist, with Haralds Egle (Liepaia, Latvia/Chicago Steel) also being credited.
Clarkson took a 3-1 lead at 11:36 of the second, as de Haas picked up a loose puck in the slot and ripped it inside the right post for his seventh goal of the year.
A late second period power play goal by Bourbonnais brought the Engineers within 3-2. Junior Viktor Liljegren (Stockholm, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs) took a long shot that fell to Bourbonnais on the doorstep. He lifted the puck over Clarkson freshman goaltender Jake Kielly (Eden Prairie, MN/Tri-City Storm) for his team-leading 17th goal of the campaign.
RPI pulled Perry for an extra attacker in the final two minutes, and generated a few chances, but could not find the equalizing goal.
Junior Nic Pierog (Georgetown, ON/Penticton Vees) found the empty net with 19 seconds left in regulation.
Perry (6-20-1) finished with 32 saves, while Kielly had 25 stops at the other end of the ice. The Golden Knights wound up 3 for 6 on the power play, while RPI was 2 for 5.
Clarkson will travel to Ithaca to take on Cornell in a best-of-three series next weekend.
