Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Clarkson
Comeback Falls Short as Clarkson Downs Men's Hockey 3-2
January 07, 2005 | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 7, 2005
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Princeton, N.J. - After a falling behind 3-0 to Clarkson, the Princeton men's hockey team battled back to within a goal, but could not score the equalizer as the Golden Knights held on for the 3-2 win Friday night at Baker Rink. Junior Dustin Sproat assisted on both Princeton goals in the game and now has 23 points this season.
Princeton (5-11-1; 4-7 ECACHL)found itself in a hole right off the bat, having to kill of a major penalty just 1:46 into the period when freshman Erik Pridham received a hitting from behind penalty. The Tigers successfully killed the five-minute penalty, but could not kill the next penalty as Clarkson took a 1-0 lead at 13:46 on Mike Sullivan's sixth of the season and first of the night. Sullivan redirected a Jay Latulippe shot that was heading wide into the Tiger net. Chris Blight also assisted on the goal. Clarkson (6-12-2; 2-5-1) made it 2-0 with 1:17 remaining in the first on Mac Faulkner's eighth goal. He found a loose puck in front and deposited in the Princeton net. Sullivan and Blight assisted on the goal. The period ended with Clarkson holding a 2-0 lead after outshooting Princeton 9-8.
Clarkson made it 3-0 early in the second period when Sullivan tallied his second goal and third point of the night. Grant Clitsome fed a centering pass towards the Princeton net that Sullivan got a piece of as he reached out and slid it past Princeton goaltender Eric Leroux to give Clarkson the 3-0 lead. Shawn Weller added an assist.
Play balanced out in the second and Princeton was able to chip a goal off of Clarkson's lead with 36 seconds left in the period. Skating four aside, Sproat fed senior Luc Paquin who worked the puck towards the net. He deked past a Clarkson defender and then drew Clarkson netminder Kyle McNulty out of the net before skating around him and sliding a backhander into the open net for his fourth goal of the season. The second period ended with Princeton holding the slim 9-8 shot advantage.
The Tigers came out ready to even things up in the third and controlled play for much of the period even though the shots were even at nine apiece. Princeton attempted 24 shots in the period to Clarkson's 13. Princeton finally broke through in the period on McNulty when junior Brian Carthas scored his second of the season off the rush. Sproat fed Neundorfer, who gained the Clarkson zone. He pulled up, and hit Carthas, who was trailing the play. Carthas then froze McNulty and beat him to make the score 3-2.
From that point Clarkson held on and did not allow the Tigers to even the score up, despite having to kill off a too many men on the ice penalty with just 1:24 remaining.
McNulty made 24 saves to Leroux's 23 in a game where shots were even at 26.
Princeton resumes action tomorrow night against St. Lawrence at 7 p.m.