Paul Karpowich (Thunder Bay, ONT) highlighted the Clarkson University Hockey team’s effort on Senior Night as the Golden Knights defeated Colgate 2-1 behind a 28-save performance from the senior goaltender in the final regular season game at Cheel Arena, before 3,003 fans on Saturday.

Clarkson, which tied 12th-ranked Cornell 1-1 on Friday, earned three points in league play over the weekend, and took over sole possession of fourth place in the ECAC Hockey standings with a 9-7-4 conference mark. The Knights, who have clinched a home-ice berth in the upcoming playoffs, close out the regular season next weekend playing at Dartmouth and Harvard. The Green and Gold, who need three points to gain a first-round bye in the postseason, are one point behind third-place Colgate and one point ahead off fifth- place Harvard in the tightly packed standings.

Clarkson’s all-time save leader with 3,572 career stops, Karpowich was in top form against Colgate (17-12-3, 11-8-1) as the Green and Gold snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-7-2) against the Raiders.

He shut down the most potent offense in the ECAC for virtually the entire way, making 10 first-period saves, 12 more in the second and six over the final 20 minutes, and came within 1.8 seconds of posting his sixth shutout of the year. Karpowich started the game by making a big pad save on the Raiders’ Chris Wagner just 90 seconds after the opening faceoff. One of his biggest stops in the contest came early in the second period with the Knights holding a 1-0 lead. Karpowich robbed Colgate’s Matt Firman at the doorstep with a sprawling save four minutes into the second. Karpowich also held the nation’s leading goal scorer, Austin Smith, off the score sheet for only the fourth time this season.

The Knights went on top late in the first period when freshman defenseman James Howden (Edgeley, SASK) jumped into the play from the blueline and scored during a scramble at the side of the Colgate net at 15:54 for his second career goal. Senior Corey Tamblyn (Bobcaygeon, ONT) and sophomore Will Frederick (Allison Park, PA) assisted.

With the middle frame winding down, Clarkson took a 2-0 lead scoring late in a man-advantage at 14:41. With just two seconds remaining on a power play, sophomore Allan McPherson (Kinburn, ONT) jammed in a loose puck at the side of the net for his 10th goal of the season and fourth over the past five games. Freshman Joe Zarbo (Grand Island, NY) earned an assist on the eventual game-winner.

Colgate spoiled the shutout bid by Karpowich when Chris Wagner fired in a rising shot from the top of the left circle for an extra-attacker goal with 1.8 seconds remaining on the clock.

The Knights went 1-of-3 on the power play and killed off all five of the Raiders’ man-advantage chances.