Sophomore Oakley gets out to quick start

POTSDAM — Sophomore forward Louke Oakley, who leads the Clarkson University men's hockey team in scoring, has already surpassed the numbers he put up last season.

A native of Whitby, Ontario, Oakley has one goal and 10 assists for the Golden Knights (3-6 overall, 0-2 ECAC Hockey). His only goal, as well as four of his assists, have come on power-play opportunities.

"I'm definitely surprised by it," Oakley said. "It's just hard work. All the guys are working hard right now and hopefully we can turn (things) around this weekend."

Clarkson is 3-0 at Cheel Arena but 0-6 in road games. The Golden Knights enter tonight's game against Rensselaer having dropped four straight contests.

"If you asked me who our best forward has been, game-in and game-out, he'd be right at the top," said Clarkson coach George Roll. "He's playing with much more confidence. He's doing a great job both on the power play and penalty kill. I'm really happy for Louke."

Oakley had impressive numbers with the St. Michael's Buzzers of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League prior to arriving at Clarkson. He supplied 22 goals and 39 assists in 42 games in the 2007-08 season and was a playoff Most Valuable Player.

But Oakley's numbers last season were a modest three goals and six assists in 34 games.

"I think last year, for him, was a difficult year," Roll said. "We bumped him back to defense a lot because of injuries. He maybe didn't have a great year, point-wise, but we were very happy with the way he played."

Said Oakley of last season, "It's a big step to the next level. It takes a while to adapt. Now in my second year I feel a lot more comfortable on the ice."

Oakley played on a line with juniors Scott Freeman and Brandon DeFazio last weekend and every player he's been paired with has benefited from his passing ability.

"He could have more (assists)," Roll said. "We're just not finishing the way we'd like. It's not for a lack of opportunities. Louke is the guy making the plays. He has the capability of being a goal-scorer, also, but he tends to dish a lot. I think as the season goes on guys will start burying those chances and his point production will increase."

TOUGH WEEKEND AHEAD

Clarkson has yet to lose at Cheel Arena this season but the Golden Knights will be tested by an improved Rensselaer squad and a Union team that ended Clarkson's season last year with three straight victories over the Golden Knights.

RPI (6-3-1, 2-0) has lost 50 games over the last two seasons and has not had a winning record since going 22-15-2 in the 2003-04 season.

But fourth-year coach Seth Appert, a former assistant at the University of Denver, is beginning to see signs of his team returning to its old form as one of the better programs in ECAC Hockey.

"They've improved a lot," Roll said of the Engineers. "They've done a nice job in recruiting and got some high-end skill guys. They are competing at a very high level and it's a much different team than we've seen in the past. They are playing with some confidence now."

Appert is the third coach to come to the league in recent years from a western or midwestern team. Princeton coach Guy Gadowsky was working in Alaska and Yale coach Keith Allain was a coach with the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues.

"Each brings their own unique style and they are very well-coached teams," Roll said. "In Seth's case it's taken some time, similar to what happened here. It takes time to get guys to buy in. Certainly now it seems like they are, and they are having some success because of it."

After St. Lawrence University, RPI has always been one of Clarkson's biggest rivals, largely due to the fact that the schools are the only engineering universities in the conference.

"It's something where a lot of the students at both schools, in a lot of cases, choose between those two schools," Roll said. "They are both familiar with one another and it carries over on the ice."

As for Union (3-3-3, 0-0-2), Roll doesn't think last year's ECAC Hockey first-round playoff sweep in Schenectady will be any sort of motivational tool for his team.

"For us it's just a matter of trying to get things going in the right direction," Roll said. "Last year is history. All of us felt they outplayed us that weekend and were the better team. I don't think there should be any added incentive because they beat us last year."

nODDS AND ENDS:Freshman forwardPeter Massar'sseason has come to an end due to a groin injury suffered on Oct. 17 against the Rochester Institute of Technology. Massar, a native of Williston, Vt., had played in only three games and said he will apply for a medical redshirt. ... RPI probably will be missing one of its top forwards,Tyler Helfrich, for a third straight weekend. Helfrich injured his ankle against American International on Oct. 24. He has practiced this week and will make the trip. ... According to the Schenectady Daily Gazette, Union has not decided which goalie will play this weekend.Corey Milan, who played against Clarkson in last year's playoff series, gave up a 60-foot goal against Brown and struggled against Yale. FreshmanKeith Kincaidmay start.

Sportswriter Cap Carey covers Clarkson University men's hockey for the Times. You may reach him at cccarey@wdt.net