Clarkson's Roll tinkers with lines
ALBANY — There was a different look to the Clarkson University men's hockey team's practice Thursday as the Golden Knights prepared for today's opening-round NCAA tournament game against St. Cloud State at the Times Union Center.
Clarkson (21-12-4), the No. 3 seed in the East Regional, will play No. 2 St. Cloud State (19-15-5) of the Western College Hockey Association, at 4 p.m. in game televised by ESPNU.
Golden Knights coach George Roll tinkered with his forward lines this week, moving junior Chris D'Alvise up to a line with senior Steve Zalewski and sophomore Matt Beca. Beca leads the team in scoring with 34 points (10 goals-24 assists) and Zalewski is the team's leading goal scorer with 21.
Roll also moved freshman Scott Freeman up to a line with senior captain Nick Dodge and senior David Cayer. The other two forward lines were: Tim Marks, Lauri Tuohimaa and Shea Guthrie, and Dan Tuttle, Brandon DeFazio and Scott Willemsen.
"We're going to put our top scorers together," Roll said. "We wanted to give (Zalewski) and Beca a jump start by putting Chris up there and try to get two scoring lines down. We were happy with the way (Tuohimaa) played up there. Being an upperclassman, I think Chris complements those two guys as well."
Clarkson met the Huskies for two games, on Nov. 23-24, at Cheel Arena. St. Cloud State won the opener 4-1, as Ryan Lasch, the nation's third-leading scorer, scored two goals. Dodge had two goals and an assist as Clarkson won the second game 3-2. St. Cloud State swept a two-game home series against the Golden Knights in the 2006-07 season.
"I like the fact we've got some history," Huskies coach Bob Motzko said. "A lot of times (in the NCAAs) you've got the unknown. You have two programs that aren't going to have that. Sometimes in the tournament you can have a crazy game. I like the fact that we're playing someone familiar. It's more of a comfort level."
St. Cloud State is the higher-seeded team, but the Huskies had to make a 1,028-mile trip to get to Albany, while Clarkson took a 152-mile bus trip on Wednesday. The Times Union Center is also expected to be heavily tilted, fanwise, to Clarkson.
"I hope the building is as loud as can be," Motzko said. "We're used to that in the WCHA. It makes for a great atmosphere for the whole game."
WELL-RESTED
Clarkson has played just three hockey games in the last 26 days.
The Golden Knights earned a first-round bye in the ECAC Hockey playoffs, but also gained another week off last weekend when they lost a best-of-three quarterfinal series to Colgate.
"I think it's hard," Roll said. "(Wednesday's) practice in Potsdam was not very good. We've been home for over a month. Potsdam is a small town and you are in a fishbowl there. To finally get here was good for us."
Said goalie David Leggio, "I would say our first break was good. Last weekend was tough for me."
STOPPING THE HUSKIES
St. Cloud State averages three goals a game and has the fourth-best power play in the nation (23.2 percent) and the eighth-best penalty kill (87.1).
"The key for them is the power play," Dodge said. "It' s just a matter of us not trying to do too much and staying within the systems."
Said defenseman Grant Clitsome, "We have to keep tight gaps and try to keep them to the outside."
AROUND THE TIMES UNION CENTER ...
Clarkson arrived for practice Thursday just in time to see former Golden KnightChris Blight(class of 2005). Blight had been with the American Hockey League's Albany River Rats but was told during Thursday's practice that he was being sent to the Reading Royals of the East Coast Hockey League. Blight played with the members of Clarkson's senior class when they were freshmen. Blight played in 20 games with the River Rats, picking up five assists. In addition to Albany and Reading, Blight has also played for the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season. ... Clarkson freshman defensemanTom Pizzocelebrated his 21st birthday Thursday. ... Clarkson's Clitsome and Marks were junior hockey teammates of St. Cloud State'sMatt Stephensonwith the Nepean (Ontario) Raiders. ... Clarkson has posted 20-win seasons in consecutive years for the first time since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.
