Clarkson and Providence to contest Friendship Four final
The Clarkson Golden Knights and Providence Friars have booked their places in the final of the Friendship Four in Belfast.
The annual tournament, now in its third year, brings competitive NCAA hockey to Northern Ireland and is televised to millions of homes across the US and Canada.
As well as showcasing sporting talent, it strengthens the bond between Belfast and Boston as sister cities and aims to help boost educational and economic ties between Northern Ireland and the US.
Belfast Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister performed the ceremonial puck-drop for the first game of this year’s tournament, between Clarkson and the RPI Engineers.
After a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, it was down to business on the ice with the sides battling for a chance to compete again on Saturday for the Belpot trophy.
Last year, the Vermont Catamounts lifted the trophy – a reclaimed east Belfast school bell – while it fell to the UMass Lowell River Hawks to become the inaugural champions back in 2015.
And in the first game of the 2017 tournament – in front of a big crowd, including lots of excited local pupils who had enjoyed visits to their schools by the college teams - it was Clarkson that drew first blood.
Just in the last two minutes of play in the opening period, Josh Dickinson fired a powerplay goal past Linden Marshall in the RPI net to give his side the 1-0 lead.
With the sides playing a tight game, there was just one more goal in it – Dickinson was back again to get his second late in the third period, giving Clarkson the 2-0 win.
Friday’s second game pitted the Providence Friars against the Maine Black Bears to determine who would meet Clarkson in Saturday night’s final and who would play RPI in the consolation game.
It proved another close-run encounter, with Providence finally getting the opening goal with just under five minutes to go in the second period to lead 1-0 over Maine.
And with just under 12 minutes to go in the game, the Friars got their second goal of the game with a powerplay effort from Brian Pinho to double their lead.
With just over four minutes to go, Maine took a five-minute penalty when Rob Michel was called for a high stick on Providence’s Brandon Duchaine – who went down hurt, but made it to the bench.
Despite the powerplay opportunity, Maine pulled their netminder for the extra skater as a gamble to try to claw their way back – only for the Friars to grab a goal courtesy of Ryan Tait.
With the 3-0 win sealed, that pits Providence against Clarkson in the grand final on Saturday night, while the Black Bears will play RPI in the earlier consolation game.