Knights register upset

COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Friday, Clarkson University men's hockey coach George Roll could smile after a game for the first time in almost two months.

The Golden Knights (3-10-4 overall) snapped a school-record, 11-game winless streak with a 4-2 upset of second-ranked Miami (Ohio) in a semifinal game of the Ohio Hockey Classic at the Value City Arena.

Clarkson will face Ohio State in the championship game at 8:05 p.m. today.

"Our confidence had been so low for so long," Roll said. "I'm really proud of our guys and (goalie Paul Karpowich) was outstanding."

Clarkson's last victory prior to Friday's came in a 3-1 decision over Brown in the ECAC Hockey opener Nov. 7. The Golden Knights had gone 0-9-2 since that point, scoring two goals or less in nine of the games.

Facing Miami (12-4-3), Clarkson was expected to extend the streak to 12 games. But the task of matching up with the No. 2 team in the nation may have been the spark the Golden Knights needed to snap out of their funk.

"Our team knows if they don't work hard (against Miami) they can get embarrassed," Roll said. "Every time we've played Miami we've come out with a purpose."

Clarkson accomplished several tasks that it has failed to do this season in order to pick up the win, including scoring the first goal.

Senior Shea Guthrie did that just 1 minute, 39 seconds into the game off assists from freshmen Nick Tremblay and Julien Cayer. It was the first time Clarkson scored first since a Nov. 15 game at Dartmouth

Thanks to 15 saves from Karpowich, most coming near the crease, the Golden Knights held the lead until the end of the first period, something they had done only one other time this season.

Miami tied the game at 8:44 of the second period with a power-play goal from Carter Camper. But Clarkson responded with a power-play goal from Cayer at 13:05 to take a 2-1 lead into the third period.

That also was a long time coming for the Golden Knights, who had not led after two periods since the season-opening game against the Rochester Institute of Technology.

"I think getting (Guthrie's) early goal and never giving up the lead was important for us," Roll said. "So much of it was confidence."

Playing in front of a crowd mostly backing Miami, Clarkson scored two early goals in the third period to build a 4-1 lead. Sophomore defenseman Bryan Rufenach scored at 1:28 and sophomore Brandon DeFazio added a power-play goal at 3:56.

The Red Hawks scored at 7:57 on a shot from Justin Vaive to cut the lead to two goals but that was the end of the scoring in the contest.

Karpowich, a freshman, stopped 40 of 42 shots for the Golden Knights and was tested several times by Miami.

nNOTES:Friday's game, Clarkson's 17th of the season, was the first time the Golden Knights did not have any players who were missing due to injury. ... Ohio State has two personnel with area connections. Head coachJohn Markellgrew up in nearby Cornwall, Ontario, and Buckeyes assistantJason Lammersspent two seasons as a Clarkson assistant.