Sophomore Adrian Misaljevic netted two goals and Remi Gelinas delivered the game-winner midway through the third period as the Clarkson University men’s hockey team rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat UMass Lowell 3-2 on Friday night in Lowell, Massachusetts. The come-from-behind victory marked a winning start to the season for the Golden Knights.
The matchup began with early special teams play, as both UMass Lowell and Clarkson earned power-play opportunities within the opening five minutes. The River Hawks drew a penalty just 70 seconds into the contest, while the Knights secured an advantage at the 3:48 mark. Neither squad capitalized, with Lowell’s lone chance blocked and Clarkson’s single shot sailing wide.
As the opening period progressed, the River Hawks capitalized on an offensive miscue. A turnover in the neutral zone sparked a 2-on-1 rush for the home side, allowing Jak Vaarwerk to skate into the left circle and slide a pass across to Libor Nemec. Nemec ripped a one-timer past the goaltender at 8:27 to open the scoring at 1-0.
Lowell extended its lead nine minutes later directly off a left-circle faceoff. Dalyn Wakely won the draw back to Jacob MacDonald, whose immediate off-balance shot squeezed past Clarkson netminder Shane Soderwall at 17:10. Trailing by a pair, the Knights ratcheted up pressure in the closing minutes of the frame, breaking through with just 36 seconds left on the clock. Zack Sandhu fired a shot from the left point that Austin Elliott stopped, but the Lowell goaltender failed to secure the rebound. In the ensuing goalmouth scramble, Adrian Misaljevic knocked the puck in at the far post to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into the first intermission.
Defensive Battles and Second-Period Adjustment
Offensive chances remained scarce through the middle frame, with the two teams combining for only nine shots on goal in the first period and 12 more in the second. Clarkson controlled the scoring in the second period, evening the match at 17:45. Talon Sigurdson launched a seemingly harmless shot toward the net from near the blue line, which Misaljevic deflected through a screen to beat Elliott and tie the game at 2-2.
With seconds remaining before the second intermission, Lowell earned a late power-play chance. Soderwall preserved the tie by stopping Nemec on a 1-on-1 in tight, keeping the score deadlocked with 11.7 seconds left on the clock.
Third-Period Penalty Alters Momentum
The decisive sequence of the game unfolded in the final period following a major elbowing penalty assessed to Lowell after a video review, handing Clarkson a five-minute power play starting at 6:37. The Knights cycled the puck along the perimeter before Owen Van Steensel drove closer toward the slot, drawing defenders toward him. Once the penalty killers collapsed, Van Steensel zipped a cross-ice pass to Remi Gelinas, who hammered home a one-timer at 9:48 to put Clarkson ahead 3-2.
Shortly after the major penalty expired, the Knights incurred a penalty of their own, giving the River Hawks a late opportunity to equalize. Soderwall stood firm, turning away a blocker shot and later securing a glove save during a frantic Lowell push in the final minute.
Game Statistics and Weekend Outlook
Final statistics reflected a tightly contested, low-shot affair. Clarkson registered 20 shots on goal to Lowell’s 17. On special teams, the Knights converted once on four power-play opportunities, while the River Hawks went scoreless across three chances. In net, Soderwall recorded 15 saves for Clarkson, and Elliott stopped 17 shots for Lowell.
The Golden Knights return to the ice on Saturday to face ninth-ranked Providence, which opened its own campaign with a 6-2 victory over St. Lawrence.
