Celebrating the 20th season at Cheel Arena highlights the Clarkson University Hockey team’s 2010-11 campaign. The Golden Knights, guided by eighth-year head coach George Roll, associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Chris Rogles, will have 17 regular-season home dates in their arena during the 34-game schedule. With nine of their first 12 games in Potsdam, the Green and Gold will look to use their home-ice advantage to jump out to a quick start.
PDF of 2010-11 Clarkson Hockey Schedule
“We have an opportunity to reestablish ourselves at home early in the season,” stated Roll. “Cheel has always been a great home-ice advantage for us, but it slipped away from us the past couple of years. We want to make the most of our home games in October and November and get out of the gate fast and gain some momentum for the schedule ahead.”
The Knights are 217-88-34 (.690 winning percentage) overall at Cheel starting with the 1991-92 campaign, but have won just 12 NCAA Division I games in Potsdam over the past two seasons.
Before it begins the lengthy home stand, Clarkson will officially open its 89th season out in the Midwest when the Knights make their first ever trip to Nebraska. Clarkson will take part in the Mutual of Omaha Stampede when it faces host Nebraska-Omaha, of the CCHA, on October 8. The Green and Gold will then battle WCHA force and 2010 NCAA Tournament participant St. Cloud State the following day at the showcase.
Clarkson’s home slate at Cheel Arena begins with a pair of two-game series. The Knights play Bowling Green, of the CCHA, on October 15-16, and Atlantic Hockey’s Bentley University on October 22-23.
After a short trip into the Adirondack Mountains to battle arch-rival St. Lawrence in a non-league contest at the 1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid on October 30, the Knights return to Potsdam with five straight ECAC Hockey games at Cheel. Clarkson opens its 50th season of conference play by hosting league powerhouse Cornell on November 5. Clarkson closes out the 2010 home portion of the schedule facing St. Lawrence on November 20.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a league more wide open as the ECAC appears to be this season,” remarked Roll. “I think every night will be extremely competitive. A lot of teams graduated some very good players from last year leaving the league very balanced. This year more than any, I think any of the 12 teams involved have a good opportunity of stepping up into a top 4 position.”
Clarkson will make its second showcase appearance when it participates in the Denver Cup out in Colorado over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. The Knights will faceoff against Air Force, of Atlantic Hockey, on November 26 and Lake Superior State, of the CCHA, on November 27.
Three away games in December, concluding with a contest against Atlantic Hockey’s Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT on December 12, closes out the first half of the schedule.
Clarkson begins the 2011 portion of the season when it hosts WCHA front-runner Minnesota-Duluth in a weekend series at Cheel on Monday and Tuesday, January 3-4.
The Knights will also host Carleton University from Canada in an exhibition contest on October 3 prior to the start of the 34-game schedule.
For ticket information on all Clarkson Hockey games, contact Cheel Arena at (315) 268-7750.