Physical buddies clicking

POTSDAM — With all the injuries the Clarkson University men's hockey team has had so far this season, head coach George Roll has been trying to find forward lines he can keep together.

The sophomore line of Scott Freeman, Brandon DeFazio and Lauri Tuohimaa was one Roll knew he could count on.

Last weekend, one of the only bright spots was finding the line of Brownville native Tim Marks, Ogdensburg native Jake Morley and Dan Tuttle.

The three, all physical forwards who concentrate as much on defense as offense, were Clarkson's best line in Saturday's 5-1 loss at Dartmouth, according to Roll. They produced the only goal of the game when Morley scored his first career goal in the first period.

"They are two big, strong guys who play hard and physical," Tuttle said of his linemates. "If I play with more skilled guys than the physical aspect is more on me. A lot of our goals this year have come off finished checks. It makes it easier when everyone is playing hard."

Marks played on a line with Morley in Clarkson's home opening weekend against Colorado College and said their lines provides the physical aspect that sometimes has been lacking.

"We are all pretty big guys and we play physical and compliment one another," said Marks. "I think we work well together, especially defensively. (The coaches) want us to be a shut-down line and make sure we finish all our hits. We set up a lot of scoring chances for ourselves (Saturday), we just have to start finishing.

"(Opposing) defenseman know every time they touch the puck they are going to get hit. Right now our team needs a line that can establish a physical presence."

Tuttle is a senior and Marks is a junior while Morley, a freshman, is the rookie on the line.

But a former football player at Ogdensburg Free Academy, Morley is no stranger to making a hard hit.

"We are all on the same page," Morley said. "We know we are the physical line and I like playing physical and working down low."

Roll threw the line together before last Friday's 5-1 loss at Harvard and told Marks that he wants to keep that line together, barring injury.

"They were outstanding," Roll said. "They executed their system, they finished hits and controlled play well. Those guys are three guys we need to be physical and stay out of the (penalty) box. I thought they really worked strong along the wall."

INJURY UPDATE

It's a good thing that Clarkson has three team doctors, a trainer and a student-intern trainer because the team's training room has been a busy place this fall.

Senior co-captain Phil Paquet, a defenseman, will miss his sixth and seventh straight games this weekend after suffering an ankle injury against Colorado College on Oct. 24.

Clarkson also has five forwards — Chris D'Alvise, Matt Beca, Julien Cayer, Tuttle and Scott Freeman — who are all considered questionable for the weekend for various reasons. It's possible that at least two or three of that group could dress.

STREAK HAS BEEN SAFE

Clarkson's 50-game unbeaten streak with a lead after two periods has not been in jeopardy, despite a 1-4-2 record in the last seven games.

Clarkson is 46-0-4 when it leads after two and it last lost a two-period lead in game two of an ECAC Hockey first-round series at Union in 2006.

But the only time the Golden Knights have had a lead to protect that late in the game was in a season-opening 6-4 win at the Rochester Institute of Technology on Oct. 17.

"We haven't scored," said Roll when asked about the stat. "I think that's the bottom line. We've been struggling to score goals. I think the power play (4 of 54) has been our biggest problem.

DEFENSIVE WOES

Injuries have played a factor in some of Clarkson's high-scoring games this year, but the team gave up 10 goals last weekend and has had four different games this season when its allowed at least four or more goals.

"A lot of it, right now, is we make one mistake and it's magnified," said Roll. "I think defensemen Tom Pizzo, Dan Reed and Jeremiah Crowe have stepped up and played well."

Roll said he needs to see improvement from co-captain Ty Mason and sophomore Bryan Rufenach, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick.

HUNGRY FOR REVENGE?

Quinnipiac has lost two of its last three games against Clarkson, but both losses were difficult for different reasons.

Clarkson beat the Bobcats 4-2 in the 2007 ECAC Hockey championship game and closed out the regular-season with an 8-0 win at Cheel Arena over Quinnipiac on March 1.

"I would think you don't forget those things," Roll said. "They had two big wins on the road (at RPI and Union) and they are coming in here with momentum."