Box Score Lyon Stops 31 Shots at Clarkson
POTSDAM, N.Y. – Points are tough to come by in ECAC Hockey this season, even more so on the road against a hot team. Yale, with goals from Nate Repensky and John Hayden and 31 saves from Alex Lyon, earned its point with a 2-2 overtime tie at Clarkson that increased the Elis' unbeaten string to seven games.
The Golden Knights, winners of three of four coming into the game, outshot the Bulldogs (10-4-4, 5-3-3 ECAC) 33-23. The home team, coming off a 5-1 win at Harvard, scored first and last. In between and after those tallies, Lyon did a masterful job of keeping Clarkson's momentum from producing red lights.
The ice tilted in one direction for most of the final frame. Clarkson had a 16-3 advantage in shots on target and the junior Bulldog goalie needed to make 18 saves over the last 25 minutes.
The Blue killed off the one Clarkson advantage in the first period but the home team still managed to get on the board first. The visitors used their second power play chance of the frame to even the score with 5:55 left.
Chris Izmirlian drew an interference call in the Yale end to set up the Yale tally. Lyon played the puck behind the net to Stu Wilson and the senior zipped up the ice before dropping it off at the point. The feed was one-time by Nate Repensky, whose slapshot went low through some traffic, for his first goal of the season.
Both sides had 10 shots on target in the first, but the Elis doubled up the Knights 8-4 in the second and notched the only tally.
Yale made it 2-1 just 11 seconds into the second period because Carson Cooper won a battle for the puck behind the home net and quickly sent a pass to John Hayden in the right circle. Hayden spun around and then fired a wrister inside the left post for his 10 goal of the season.
The quick tally brought back memories of the goal scored by Jesse Root '14 against Minnesota nine seconds into overtime in the 2013 West Regional semifinal.
The Bulldogs continued to put pressure on Greg Lewis and the Clarkson net, but the senior goalie came up with big saves when needed.
The Golden Knights got the equalizer - a rebound, kick-in that was reviewed - with 7:54 left in regulation, but not before Lyon made four tough saves in a period that included most of the action in the Yale end.
He then made quality glove saves on Pat Megannety and Christian Powers, the last of which came on a shot from the low slot that was ticketed for the upper corner. Lyon stuck his glove out at the last second. He and the Bulldogs still had more work to do to get the point.
JM Piotrowski went to the penalty box with 1:50 left and the Bulldogs made it a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. With 30 seconds left in regulation, Wilson nearly got the winner with a screened wrister from the high slot that made it through to Lewis' pads.
Snively ended Clarkson's hope for the winner when he made the final clear.
The Knights had a 3-2 edge in shots after regulation, but nobody – other than Carson Cooper's wrap-around attempt early on - had a serious threat on the net.
Yale takes on St. Lawrence Saturday night at 7. The Saints are coming off a 6-2 win over Brown.
BULLDOG BITES
Stu Wilson 12th assist of the season is a team-high… Alex Lyon got his first assist this year and third overall… Anthony Walsh was back in the lineup after missing the last three games with an injury… Frankie DiChiara and Clarkson's AJ Fossen were teammates with the USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints… Charlie Curti and Andrew Gaus teamed up with Clarkson's Aaron Thow at Cedar Rapids… Joe Snively crossed paths with Golden Knight defenseman Terrance Amorosa at Sioux City in the USHL… Clarkson assistant coach Josh Hauge coached JM Piotrowski in the USHL at Fargo and Yale student assistant coach Tim Bonner with USHL Tri City… All but five Clarkson players in uniform tonight are from Canada (mostly Ontario), while Yale has two (Carson Cooper, Patrick Spano) Canadians suited up.
Filed by Steve Conn, Yale Associate AD & Sports Publicity Director – steven.conn@yale.edu
