SCORING
SLU - CU  1st Period
 1  -  0   14:56  SLU  M. Lacroix (M. Lappin, LaPerriere)   PP
 2  -  0   15:22  SLU  M. Lappin  (E. Lacroix, M. Lacroix)  PP
          2nd Period
 3  -  0    5:25  SLU  LaPerriere (Beattie, Verbeek)
 4  -  0   19:47  SLU  M. Lappin  (LaPerriere, E. Lacroix)  PP
          3rd Period
 5  -  0   18:48  SLU  Massoud    (unassisted)
 
Saves     1st    2nd   3rd   Total
  SLU       9     10    13     32    (Spagnoletti)
Clarkson   13      9     9     31    (Currie/ Rogles in 3rd)
 
 
     A terrific game for the home town fans to watch, as St. Lawrence beat
Clarkson for the second time this year to move into a tie (with Harvard and
Yale) for the ECAC lead.  Actually, there were many similarities to the 4-3
Saint victory at the Cheel Center last December.  Editing over the scoring
and saves from that game showed consistent patterns in goals scored and
saves, with the notable exception of the lack of goals from Clarkson.
     Spagnoletti was again the star, although I don't believe he faced as
many tough chances as other Clarkson game.  La Saint power play clicked on
3 of 9 opportunities, while Clarkson was 0 for 9.  The number of power
plays is deceiving since few of them full 2 minute sessions.  On at least 4
occasions Clarkson shortened their own power play by taking a penalty,
giving SLU a short man advantage at the other end.  On the most devasting
of these, with about six minutes to go in period #1, Clarkson went from a
man up with SLU's LaPerriere in the box to two men down 40 seconds later.
With LaPerriere out the Saints executed a picture perfect 5 on 3 goal.
LaPerriere and M. Lappin played catch, with a half dozen passes back and
forth to be sure that each was noted for the assist (:>), before LaPerriere
reversed the puck to M. Lacroix who had drifted in on the other side for
the one-time goal.   Another great cross-ice feed from M. Lacroix to M.
Lappin genereated the second goal before the second penalty expired for a
2-0 lead.  Definitely a key point in the contest.
     A second key event took place at the end of the second period.  After
LaPerriere put SLU up 3-0 on a tough angle shot, and SLU was on a power
play looking for more, Clarkson's Dubinsky popped out on a shorthanded
breakaway with a minute to go in the period.  He beat Spagnoletti, but not
the post.  A goal then would have given Clarkson a big lift going into the
dressing room.  Instead, SLU came back for another all-LA power play goal
with just 13 seconds left in the period.
     The third period was actually fun and even relaxing to watch (for
Saint fans at least) - certainly a change from the typical SLU-CU
encounter.  The SLU power play was impressive to watch - lots of pinpoint
passing and well set up plays - although no goals (Clarkson had switched to
Rogles in goal for the third period).   Fourth-liner John Massoud got the
Saints last goal after wrestling away a clearing pass and walking in alone
on Rogles.  Defenseman Laperriere provided a light-hearted moment, when he
got a rare breakaway after leaving the penalty box, but fell as he tried to
cut hard to the goalie and slid into the boards laughing.  Again a rare
emotion for the third period in this rivalry.
     Unfortunately, more typical emotions came to a head at the end of the
game.  Clarkson's speedy freshman, Todd Marchand, went down hard after
tripping over SLU's goalie and apparently hurt a knee.  The Clarkson TV
announcers were speculating about possible retaliation.  At the very end of
the game SLU cleared the puck down the ice, clearly preserving
Spagnoletti's shutout, but were a little overeager spilling onto the ice to
congratulate their goalie as the last two seconds clicked off the clock.  A
Clarkson player blasted a slap shot from his own end at the backs of the
Saint players on their way to congratulate their goalie, fortunately
hitting no one.  Then SLU's Lee Albert did a dumb thing by jawing at some
of the Clarkson players and was rewarded with a viscous spear by Clarkson's
Brian Mueller.  Albert went down in a heap as both teams surged around him.
Both coaches were on the ice along with the linesmen trying to pull players
away, while the SLU trainer dragged Albert along the ice out of the fracas.
The traditional handshake ceremony was canceled to avoid further trouble.
All in all not a very pretty scene and it took some of the excitement away
from the celebration.  Rumor has it that Mark Morris, the Clarkson coach,
had his players get right on the bus in full uniform to go back to Cheel
for some "extra" skating, although he relented by the time they got back to
Potsdam and the team often dresses and showers back at its home rink when
they play SLU.
     Certainly one of the best games for SLU in a while.  Spagnoletti has
been particlarly sharp in both Clarkson encounters.  The last SLU shutout
of Clarkson was in the 1988 ECAC championship game - also the last year
that SLU swept Clarkson in the ECAC regular season and made it to the NCAA
title game.  Perhaps this is a good omen?   I'll bet they get to play again
this year ...
 
Robin Lock
St. LAwrence U.