The Clemson club ice hockey team snapped its five-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the UNC Charlotte 49ers on Saturday, Feb. 3. With the win, the Tigers improved to 11-9, and more importantly, they got their confidence back.
The Tigers struck first in the opening period, courtesy of Herb Kopf. In a perfectly-timed 2-on-1 play, Cade Heinold dished a cross-ice pass to Kopf, who sent the puck straight through Charlotte’s back door for the 1-0 lead.
The 49ers answered in short order, deadlocking the game at 1-1 before the end of the first period with a goal from Aidan Sutter.
The Tigers reclaimed the lead during the middle frame as Patrick O’Brien slung home a wrister from the top of the circle with help from Graydon Schweizer.
Neither team took a penalty until early in the third period when Kopf was handed a two-minute minor for hooking. Charlotte traded infractions with the Tigers, taking a minor penalty shortly after Kopf’s expired. However, neither team capitalized on their respective man advantages.
Will Van Sicklin doubled Clemson’s lead halfway through the final period, firing the puck into the top-left corner of the net with help from Thomas Samuelsen. To seal the team’s 4-1 victory, Santiago Diaz found the back of Charlotte’s empty net with less than 15 seconds left in the contest.
Clemson looks to carry the momentum from this win into its away series against Middle Tennessee State this weekend, as the Tigers will battle the Blue Raiders for a spot in the College Hockey South playoffs.
