After last night's results for the north country teams (SLU won,
Clarkson lost), I thought it might be interesting to go back and
look at how these two teams have fared on Friday the 13th in the
past.  In summary: Clarkson can't win and SLU can't lose.
 
The Friday the 13th history which continued last night was best
exemplified last season, when both teams played twice on the
fateful day.  The first game for both was December 13, 1991 when
they squared off against each other for their first meeting of
the year.  It was the first time SLU played in Clarkson's new
Cheel Arena and the Knights boasted a perfect home record going
into the game.  SLU gained a page in the history books handing
Clarkson their first ever loss at Cheel in a 4-3 thriller.
 
Then on March 13 of this year, both teams voyaged to the Boston
Garden for the ECAC semifinals.  Those who were there will never
forget that night, with Clarkson facing Cornell in the first game.
The game was well into the third 10-minute overtime, just seconds
away from becoming the longest game in ECAC history when Cornell
lit the lamp handing the Knights a 5-4 loss.  In the second game,
SLU jumped out to a 2-0 lead 5 minutes into the game, but fell
asleep and trailed 5-2 with 10 minutes left in the third.  An
incredible rally tied it up and the game went into the third
overtime, surpassing the length of the previous game and becoming
the longest game in ECAC history.  It was actually Saturday the
14th when SLU finally prevailed 6-5.  The Saints went on to beat
Cornell later that day for the championship.
 
In Clarkson's successful 1990-91 season, and also in the 89-90
season, neither team played on Friday the 13th.  On January 13,
1989, in north country home games, SLU had no trouble beating
Dartmouth 7-3, while Harvard downed the Knights 5-2.  Also at
home in November of 1987 SLU whipped Vermont 9-3 while Clarkson
actually defeated RPI 6-5.  In January of 1987 Yale blanked
Clarkson at home 3-0 while SLU bested Brown 4-3 in overtime.
 
In 5 Friday the 13th games in the past 6 years, SLU is 5-0
while the Knights are 1-4.  Even more astounding is that 3
of the Knights losses are at home, and Clarkson doesn't
often lose at home.  The good news for the Knights, bad
news for the Saints, is that there will be no more Friday the
13th games this year.
 
Tim