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Men's ice hockey drops one, ties one in opening home weekend

The Bears fell to No. 17 Clarkson in home opener before tying St. Lawrence in their second game

Bruno emerged from its opening weekend at home winless in its first two conference matchups. After a 4-3 loss to No. 17 Clarkson University and a 3-3 tie with St. Lawrence University, Brown is one of four teams in the ECAC yet to notch a league win.

“One point on a home weekend is not what we want, but I thought we played a much better game (Saturday),” said Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94. “It makes it hard when you have to work out kinks in league games.”

Coming into the weekend, Brown’s opponents had played eight and five games out of conference, respectively, while Bruno (2-1-1, ECAC 0-1-1) had played just two.

The penalty kill was the most visible “kink” for the Bears this weekend. In both games, Bruno gave up two first period power play-goals after scoring first.

“It’s goofy,” Whittet said. “The momentum of the games changed pretty quickly. We were just letting their guys who can rip pucks just step into their shots with nobody around them.”

“There’s a lot to improve on,” said captain Dennis Robertson ’14. “We need to get everybody on the same page. That’s how we were successful last year. It was our downfall this weekend.”

Six different players scored Bruno’s six goals this weekend.

 

Clarkson 4, Brown 3

Bruno put together a strong offensive effort in its home opener, but early penalties and a late turnover cost it the game.

“We were really sloppy,” Whittet said. “We spotted them a lead, and we were in the box too much. That just can’t happen. It’s too short a season.”

The Bears got off to a quick start when Ryan Jacobson ’15 started the scoring less than five minutes into the game. After Clarkson goalie Greg Lewis turned away a shot from Michael Juola ’14, Jacobson stuffed in a backhand shot to put Bruno up 1-0.

After an interference penalty on Robertson, Sam Labrecque tied the game for Clarkson with a sharp wrist shot from the blue line that sailed over the left shoulder of goalie Marco De Filippo ’14. Two minutes later, the Golden Knights (7-2-1, 1-1-0) capitalized on another Brown penalty when Will Frederick backhanded a loose puck into the net.

With just 30 seconds left in the period, Allan McPherson shoveled a rebound past de Filippo to take the Golden Knights into the locker room with a 3-1 lead.

Little scoring and much physicality characterized the second period. Scuffles broke out in front of the net twice, sending two men from each team to the penalty box for roughing.

Just 20 seconds into the third period, Matt Lorito ’15 broke the scoring drought for the Bears by sliding in a juicy rebound from a Mark Naclerio ’16 wrist shot.

After missed power play opportunities on each side, Nick Lappin ’16 tied it up at three with 2:56 left in the game on a tip-in off Robertson’s slap shot.

With just under two minutes to play, Clarkson responded with a Kyle Essery goal over the shoulder of de Filippo for the game-winner after a Bruno turnover in its own zone, bringing the comeback effort to a screeching halt.

“It was an inexcusable mistake,” Whittet said. “It’s hard to take when you come back and then you give up a two-on-one. It’s not smart hockey.”

Brown could not tie the game with the extra attacker despite a flurry of shots on goal in the final 90 seconds.

 

Brown 3, St. Lawrence 3

In the second game of the weekend, the Bears came back from an early deficit to force a tie against the Saints (4-2-2, 0-0-2).

“It was an unbelievable battle,” Whittet said. “They’re a very good hockey team and we’re a very good hockey team, and I thought it was an excellent game.”

Bruno started off strong for the second game in a row when Matt Wahl ’14 got on the board midway through the first period. The defenseman gathered a rebound at the blue line, toe dragged to the center of the zone and fired a wrist shot past goalie Matt Weninger.

Two minutes later, Gavin Bayreuther tied the game for the Saints with a sharp wrist shot past goalie Tyler Steel ’17.

Garnet Hathaway ’14 responded for the Bears later in the period with his second goal of the season. Collecting a loose puck from a Zack Pryzbek ’17 shot, Hathaway spun and fired, finding the back of the net to give Brown the lead.

But St. Lawrence’s Carey brothers would have none of it. On yet another first period penalty kill for the Bears, Greg Carey fired a wrist shot through traffic and over Steel’s glove. Two minutes later, freshman forward Matt Carey added another goal for the Saints, taking them into the locker room with a 3-2 lead.

After a relatively quiet start to the second period, two St. Lawrence penalties gave Bruno a five-on-three opportunity with 2:19 left in the frame. Robertson took advantage a minute later, launching a wrist shot from the blue line past Weninger on the blocker side to tie the game at three.

“They had some tired (penalty) killers, so that gave me some room to find a lane and get a shot through,” Robertson said. “That’s how it’s designed.”

Despite being outshot 8-3 in the third period, Brown held onto the tie, sending the contest into overtime.

“After we scored the tying goal, they came out hard in the third period,” Robertson said. “We had to weather the storm. We were definitely on our heels for a bit.”

Lappin had the best opportunity for the Bears in extra time, but Weninger blocked his shot in front of the net.

For the first time since going down with an injury last year, Kyle Quick ’15 returned to the lineup against St. Lawrence.

“I thought (Quick) did a good job for his first game back,” Whittet said. “He acquainted himself well.”

Brown will start a six-game road trip next weekend against Quinnipiac (8-1-0, 2-0-0) and Princeton (1-3-0, 0-2-0).

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