I've had this weekend circled on my non-existent calendar since the schedule was released. Non-conference series with Clarkson with the home game on Halloween. The only thing on the line is bragging rights. Puck yeah.
Clarkson started strong this year, with a pair of 3-1 victories over Niagara and RIT. Since then, they are winless, having been swept by a strong Vermont squad and going 0-1-1 against Bowling Green to own a 2-3-1 record.
The Saints possess a 3-3 record, with wins against some of the top teams in the country, and two OT losses to the aforementioned teams, Miami and Ferris State.
Last year, the Golden Knights swept the Saints, as they had the year before. In fact, no current player on the Clarkson roster has ever lost to St. Lawrence (credit to Nick Bayruns for that disheartening and motivating fact).
I think that trend ends on Friday. The Saints have looked the better team this year, no doubt. Clarkson scores 2.17 goals a game, compared to St. Lawrence at more than 3.5 per game. Offense was never Clarkson's style though, as they prefer to play a battering defensive style. And they do possess one of the strongest blue lines in the ECAC, allowing just 2.33 goals per game.
The Saints allow on average 2.67 goals per game on 38 shots per game. Clarkson averages 28 shots in a contest. While statistics don't always tell the whole story, the Saints have a not so secret anymore weapon that I think makes all the difference this year; Kyle Hayton. With a 2.63 GAA and a .930 save percentage, he has been more than stellar for the Saints thus far. He can steal games for SLU, and against a less than powerhouse offense in Clarkson, he will do just that.
But he won't need to steal these games. Granted, I bet Clarkson head coach Casey Jones will tell his players to shoot the puck a little more than usual, since SLU has been giving up shots like crazy this year, but I would also expect Carvel to have emphasized shot blocking, sticks in the lane, and limiting chances to the outside in practice this week.
It might seem like Hayton will be the key player for SLU this week. But already, it seems like he's established himself as the same type of player as Carmen MacDonald has for the women. They will be good, no matter what. So the key for SLU this weekend is their defense. Clarkson doesn't possess a ton of top end talent, but Joe Zarbo has had a good start so far with 7 points, just one behind SLU's leader, Drew Smolcynski.
If the defense can limit shots to the outside and control the loose pucks around the net, Hayton will do the rest, as he has been doing. Then the SLU offense can get to work.
Own the puck possession, limit the chances to the outside. That's what it will take for the Saints to finally get the monkey off their back and beat Clarkson. You better be there to see it.
Clarkson started strong this year, with a pair of 3-1 victories over Niagara and RIT. Since then, they are winless, having been swept by a strong Vermont squad and going 0-1-1 against Bowling Green to own a 2-3-1 record.
The Saints possess a 3-3 record, with wins against some of the top teams in the country, and two OT losses to the aforementioned teams, Miami and Ferris State.
Last year, the Golden Knights swept the Saints, as they had the year before. In fact, no current player on the Clarkson roster has ever lost to St. Lawrence (credit to Nick Bayruns for that disheartening and motivating fact).
I think that trend ends on Friday. The Saints have looked the better team this year, no doubt. Clarkson scores 2.17 goals a game, compared to St. Lawrence at more than 3.5 per game. Offense was never Clarkson's style though, as they prefer to play a battering defensive style. And they do possess one of the strongest blue lines in the ECAC, allowing just 2.33 goals per game.
The Saints allow on average 2.67 goals per game on 38 shots per game. Clarkson averages 28 shots in a contest. While statistics don't always tell the whole story, the Saints have a not so secret anymore weapon that I think makes all the difference this year; Kyle Hayton. With a 2.63 GAA and a .930 save percentage, he has been more than stellar for the Saints thus far. He can steal games for SLU, and against a less than powerhouse offense in Clarkson, he will do just that.
But he won't need to steal these games. Granted, I bet Clarkson head coach Casey Jones will tell his players to shoot the puck a little more than usual, since SLU has been giving up shots like crazy this year, but I would also expect Carvel to have emphasized shot blocking, sticks in the lane, and limiting chances to the outside in practice this week.
It might seem like Hayton will be the key player for SLU this week. But already, it seems like he's established himself as the same type of player as Carmen MacDonald has for the women. They will be good, no matter what. So the key for SLU this weekend is their defense. Clarkson doesn't possess a ton of top end talent, but Joe Zarbo has had a good start so far with 7 points, just one behind SLU's leader, Drew Smolcynski.
If the defense can limit shots to the outside and control the loose pucks around the net, Hayton will do the rest, as he has been doing. Then the SLU offense can get to work.
Own the puck possession, limit the chances to the outside. That's what it will take for the Saints to finally get the monkey off their back and beat Clarkson. You better be there to see it.
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