Jay Latulippe scored his first career hat trick to lead Clarkson to a 4-1 victory over Dartmouth in ECACHL action before 2,382 fans at Cheel Arena Friday night. The Golden Knights, who snapped out of a two-game losing skid, picked up their first league win of the season to improve their record to 3-6 overall and to 1-2 in the conference. The Big Green, playing without star forward, junior Hugh Jessiman, who is out for the season with an ankle injury, suffered their second straight loss and fall to 2-3 overall and to 1-2 in the ECACHL.
Clarkson opened the scoring at 15:09 of the first period when Latulippe tallied on a 4-on-3 power play. Latulippe scored his third goal of the season one-timing a pass from Nick Dodge from the right circle. Senior Chris Blight picked up his team-high seventh assist of the year on the goal.
The Knights made it 2-0 midway through the second on Blight’s third goal of the season, off an assist from Dodge, at 12:29. With just 30 seconds left in the middle frame. Dartmouth broke a lengthy scoreless drought with its first goal of the contest with 30 seconds left in the middle frame. Junior Mike Ouellette redirected a shot from the point by sophomore defenseman Mike Hartwick for his first goal of the year, which snapped a stretch of 88:35 for the Big Green without a goal.
Latulippe picked up his second goal of the game at 7:55 of the third, blasting in a shot from between the circles after a perfect set up from line mates, sophomore Brodie Rutherglen and freshman Shawn Weller.
Latulippe completed his first three-goal outing at 12:11 as he knocked in a rebound at the side of the net off a shot by Rutherglen. Senior captain Mac Faulkner also assisted on the power-play tally.
Dartmouth outshot the Knights 28-21, but junior Dustin Traylen was solid in the Clarkson goal recording his first win of the season behind a 27-save effort. Sophomore Sean Samuel posted 17 stops for the Big Green.
Clarkson enjoyed its best game of the season on special teams with a 2-of-8 effort on the power play while shutting down Dartmouth on all five of its man-advantage opportunities.
The Golden Knights will host Vermont on Saturday, while Dartmouth faces St. Lawrence in Canton.
