{"id":101451,"date":"2019-11-27T10:00:51","date_gmt":"2019-11-27T16:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/?p=101451"},"modified":"2019-11-26T22:57:27","modified_gmt":"2019-11-27T04:57:27","slug":"after-losing-key-players-from-2018-19-clarkson-trying-to-replace-them-with-strength-in-numbers-this-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2019\/11\/27\/after-losing-key-players-from-2018-19-clarkson-trying-to-replace-them-with-strength-in-numbers-this-season\/","title":{"rendered":"After losing key players from 2018-19, Clarkson ‘trying to replace them with strength in numbers’ this season"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Clarkson captain Devin Brosseau leads the Golden Knights in scoring with 18 points through a dozen games (photo: Clarkson Athletics).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seven different teams have won the ECAC Hockey playoff championship over the last ten years, but remaining competitive year in and year out is a feat that fewer teams have accomplished.<\/p>\n

After a stretch of lean years and middle of the pack finishes, Clarkson has established itself as one of ECAC Hockey\u2019s perennial contenders.<\/p>\n

The Golden Knights are on pace to make the NCAA tournament for the third straight year, which is the longest streak for the program since it made five straight appearances from 1994 to 1999. Prior to 2017, Clarkson hadn\u2019t made the national tournament or finished in the top four of the league since 2008.<\/p>\n

The Golden Knights are having another strong season despite losing Hobey Baker finalist Nico Sturm and Mike Richter finalist Jake Kielly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t lose a ton but we had some key pieces that we lost, some heavyweights there. We\u2019re trying to replace them with strength in numbers,\u201d Clarkson coach Casey Jones said.<\/p>\n

Two transfer students have helped fill the vacancies left by Sturm and Kielly. Zach Tsekos (Sacred Heart) centers Clarkson\u2019s second line, while Frank Marotte (Robert Morris) has seamlessly replaced Kielly in net.<\/p>\n

Marotte has a .938 save percentage and has played every minute in goal so far for Clarkson. That performance through the first half of the season has continued a trend of above average goaltending for Clarkson over recent seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had good goaltending [in previous years], but we\u2019ve had guys playing at the great level lately, which is the separating factor,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWhen you have that, then you win some games when maybe your team is not playing their ‘A’ game. Those are valuable. Two or three wins can flip a season big time.\u201d<\/p>\n

But competitive programs don\u2019t remain that way just by adding newcomers from outside the program. Internal development is an important component as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think sometimes the answer is always thought about in recruiting, and recruiting is absolutely paramount, but you need to have a development model that continues to trend in moving guys forward,\u201d Jones said. \u201cGuys keep getting better and you see a little pull from within and you\u2019re not just looking for answers coming through the door.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ve got a lot of answers that you can work with internally and hopefully, guys are buying in and being coachable to move their game forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

One player who has continued to develop is sophomore Josh Dunne, who dealt with an injury last year but still finished with 14 goals. He\u2019s been ever better this season, leading the Golden Knights with seven goals while centering Clarkson\u2019s top line with Devin Brosseau and Haralds Egle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re our go-to line,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThey\u2019ve all got elements in their games that are difficult to defend, and cumulatively, they\u2019ve been pretty special for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Golden Knights\u2019 only conference loss came to undefeated Cornell at Lynah Rink two weeks ago. Clarkson ends its 2019 portion of the schedule by hosting St. Lawrence on Dec. 7 and then traveling to Michigan Tech on Dec. 13-14.<\/p>\n

Bearing down<\/h4>\n

On Saturday, Brown scored more than one goal for the first time in three games, ending a three-game losing streak in the process with a 3-1 win over St. Lawrence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to be able to bury our chances,\u201d Bears coach Brendan Whittet said. \u201c[Friday] we had two two-on-ones with wide open nets and I think we missed the net on both of them. That\u2019s where we\u2019ve just got to have a little bit of poise and the ability to bear down and put those pucks in. The margin between winning and losing becomes very hard when you score one goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brown was 3-5 entering Tuesday\u2019s game at Bentley, its first non-conference game of the year. The Bears\u2019 eight league games are tied with travel partner Yale for the most in ECAC Hockey. Whittet knows that Brown, who made the league\u2019s championship weekend as a No. 8 seed last year, can ill afford to let crucial conference points slip away.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur aspiration is to be a home playoff team and our aspirations are also higher than that, to be a bye team and win championships,\u201d Whittet said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to happen overnight. We\u2019ve got to continue to focus and work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saints stalled<\/h4>\n

St. Lawrence will have to wait a little longer to play at Appleton Arena this season. The rink, which is in the midst of a major renovation, won\u2019t be ready to use until after the holiday break, the athletics department last announced last week on its Facebook page.<\/p>\n

The Saints were set to play their first home games at Appleton at the end of November, but that is now pushed back to January. The women\u2019s team will host Clarkson on Jan. 18, while the men\u2019s team will host Brown on Jan. 31.<\/p>\n

Until then, St. Lawrence will continue to play its home games at SUNY Canton.<\/p>\n

Off to Ireland<\/h4>\n

For the fifth year in a row, two teams from ECAC Hockey will compete in the Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

Colgate is making its second appearance in Belfast after playing in the first year of the tournament in 2015. The Raiders will face tournament newcomer Princeton in a non-conference game Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday\u2019s championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for us as a team to not only play internationally for the Belpot Cup but to be able to have a cultural experience in Belfast off the ice,\u201d said Princeton coach Ron Fogarty. \u201cIt will be an adventure that the players and staff will remember forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both teams arrived in Ireland this week:<\/p>\n

\n

North Coast Tour:
Game of Thrones sites, Giant\u2019s Causeway, Royal Portrush Golf Course, Dark Hedges and more!
\u2022 \u2022 \u2022
Check back tomorrow for the Sights & Sounds video from today\u2019s tour! #ncaahockey<\/a> #cawlidgehawkey<\/a> #friendshipfour<\/a> #princeton<\/a> #gameofthrones<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/fAgPgOVvrR<\/a><\/p>\n

— Princeton University Hockey (@princetonhockey) November 26, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n