Graham Mink scored two goals as the 10th seeded Vermont Catamounts upset ECAC Regular Season Champion Clarkson Golden Knights, 5-3, in the first game of the league quarterfinals before 2,326 fans Friday night.
The Catamounts (13-16-2) became the first team to ever win a playoff game at Cheel Arena, snapping the Golden Knights’ (20-10-3) 17-game postseason winning streak at their 10-year-old home.
Clarkson took the opening advantage early in the first. Freshman Trevor Edwards snapped a 24-game streak without a goal when he tapped in a loose puck in the crease at 4:03.
Vermont gained the advantage scoring twice in a 64-second span. Bryson Busniuk connected off a pass in front from linemate Patrick Sharp at 13:39 to tie the game and then Mink knocked in a rebound off J.F. Caudron’s shot at 14:43.
The Catamounts and Knights traded two goals apiece early in the second. Mink tallied his second goal of the game and 16th of the season on a quick wrist from the left circle 1:53 into the middle frame. Clarkson came right back when Murray Kuntz scored from the doorstep at
2:55.
At 3:27, Vermont grabbed a 4-2 lead when Jeff Miles connected for a power play marker.
The Knights kept it a one-goal game on Rob McFeeters’ power play goal at 7:30.
Clarkson dominated the third outshooting Vermont 9-3, but the Catamounts sealed the win with Mike Torney’s empty-net goal with 36 seconds left.
The Knights outshot Vermont 30-22. Shawn Conschafter posted 27 saves in the win for the Catamounts. Mike Walsh finished with 17 stops for Clarkson. Vermont was 2-of-3 on the power play, while Clarkson was 1-of-5 with the man-advantage.
The Knights and Catamounts will meet again Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. in the second game of the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
