Every year that ends in a number eight is a good one for the Princeton
Tigers. At least it’s been that way the last 20 seasons.
Now 2018 has joined 1998 and 2008 as years in which
Princeton won the Whitelaw Cup as ECAC Hockey champions. The Tigers outlasted
Clarkson, 2-1, in overtime at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid on Saturday
evening to win their seventh straight game, and their first league title in a decade.
Max Becker, who wears No. 8 for Princeton, scored just in front of the Clarkson net in the third
minute of the extra session to send the Tigers to their fourth NCAA Tournament ever,
and their first since 2009. Princeton had held a 1-0 lead since the first
period on a goal by Josh Teves, and made it stand up until Josh Dickinson
deflected home a screened shot with seven seconds remaining in regulation to
tie it for the Golden Knights, who had pulled goaltender Jake Kielly (21 saves)
for an extra attacker.
Ryan Ferland, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, finished with 31 stops for Princeton, which was
outshot, 32-23. The two teams combined to go 0-for-3 on the power play, while
Clarkson won 28 of the game's 51 faceoffs.
Princeton need the victory on Saturday to qualify for the
NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Tournament, as its only road to the nationals was
with the automatic NCAA bid awarded to the ECAC Tournament champion. Clarkson
had already virtually locked up one of the 16 spots in the field due to its
higher standing in the Pairwise Rankings (PWR), which mimics the NCAA selection
process.
The 2018 NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced at 12
p.m. ET on Sunday on ESPNU.
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