The Clarkson Golden Knights closed out a perfect month of November on Saturday and now can ring the Bell through the streets of Belfast.
Sparked by a four-goal outburst over a 17-minute span, the Golden Knights overcame an early 1-0 deficit and then withstood a late burst from Providence in a 4-2 win to capture the third edition of the Friendship Four and take home the Belpot Trophy.
Clarkson captain Nic Pierog immediately began ringing the bronze bell trophy – the Belpot – to celebrate the first win for an ECAC team in the ECAC-Hockey East rivalry event.
“We’re just trying to chip through the system,” said a matter-of-fact Clarkson coach Casey Jones. “We’re trying to stay true to who we are.”
Goaltender Jake Kielly, who stopped 42 of 44 shots that he saw on the weekend, took home the inaugural Mayor Marty Walsh MVP trophy named for the Boston mayor who was part of making this overseas college hockey championship possible.
As the clock ticked down, it was explosive moment for the Clarkson bench, which needed its own explosion on the ice to take control of this championship tilt.
Trailing 1-0 after Providence’s Erik Foley banged home a bad-angle shot late in the first for a 1-0 Friars lead, Clarkson used its power play, ranked second nationally entering the game, to get back in the game. Providence took back-to-back penalties early in the second to give the Golden Knights an extended 5-on-3 advantage.
On the power play, Devin Brosseau was Johnny on the Spot at 5:58 when a blast from the point through a screen hit Providence netminder Hayden Hawkey but sat behind him on the crease waiting for Brosseau’s heroics.
“It was immaturity,” said Providence coach Nate Leaman of his frustrations taking penalties. “The second penalty, there no need for that penalty, a neutral zone trip. It allowed them to get back in the game.
“I thought we were playing a very good game up until that point. That’s hockey. There’s momentum swings. But I just think our youth and our immaturity. That continues to haunt us a little bit.”
Less than seven minutes later, Clarkson grabbed its first lead when Kevin Charyszyn’s blast through traffic deflected and bounced passed Hawkey.
The 2-1 lead heading to the third was a jump starter for Clarkson, which had just 13 shots through two periods. And it carried over to the final frame.
Nico Sturm and Grant Cooper scored 98 seconds apart in the first 3 minutes of the third to seize control of the game.
“I felt from the second period on we really played to trust our process,” said Jones. “We played to who we are and the outcome was good for us.”
The Friars didn’t go quietly as Brandon Duhaime poked a rebound home with 6:42 left. And a Clarkson penalty late allowed for a 6-on-4 advantage.
But that’s when the tournament’s MVP, Kielly, was at his finest. He finished the night with 20 saves and finished the month of November a perfect 8-0-0 allowing just 10 goals in that stretch.
“We’ve got a good group of guys there. They’re motivated to be good,” said Jones. “We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but we lay it on the ice.”
Consolation: Maine 4, Rensselaer 2
Nolan Vesey’s goal early in the second broke a 1-1 tie and helped Maine earn third place at the Friendship Four with a 4-2 win over Rensselaer.
The Black Bears, who also got goals from Brendan Robbins, Mitchell Fossier and Tim Doherty, never trailed in the game. Jeremy Swayman stopped 18 shots in the win.
RPI kept things close with Troy York tying the game at 1 in the first and Jacob Hayburst pulling his club within a goal at 3-2 at the 4:53 mark of the third period.
Doherty, who finished the game with a goal and assist, buried the empty-net goal to seal the victory.
