Clarkson Pulls Off Improbable Comeback to Sweep Top-Seeded Quinnipiac

Clarkson rallies from 3-1 deficit in final 8 minutes to stun Quinnipiac and advance to ECAC semifinals

Mar. 15, 2026 at 12:00pm

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Despite sometimes erratic stretches, Clarkson showed the ability to defeat top teams at times throughout the season — Penn State, North Dakota and Cornell. But this weekend, it turned in its finest hour against Quinnipiac, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the final 8 minutes to pull off an improbable comeback and sweep the top-seeded Bobcats.

Why it matters

Clarkson's comeback win over Quinnipiac is a major upset in the ECAC tournament, as the Golden Knights were able to overcome a late deficit against the conference's regular season champion. This result shakes up the ECAC playoff picture and sets up an intriguing semifinal matchup between Clarkson and Dartmouth.

The details

With about eight minutes left and Clarkson trailing 3-1, Mael St. Denis went to the box for holding, putting Quinnipiac on the power play. But the Bobcats soon unraveled, as Shawn O'Donnell scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-2 with 7:40 to go. Just 38 seconds later, freshman defender Matthew Mayich tied the game at 3-3. Less than a minute and a half after that, Erik Bargholtz scored the go-ahead goal to complete the comeback and give Clarkson a 4-3 lead, which they would hold on to for the win.

  • With about 8 minutes left, Clarkson trailed Quinnipiac 3-1.
  • Shawn O'Donnell scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-2 with 7:40 remaining.
  • Matthew Mayich tied the game at 3-3 just 38 seconds after O'Donnell's goal.
  • Erik Bargholtz scored the go-ahead goal for Clarkson less than 1.5 minutes after Mayich's tying goal.

The players

J.F. Houle

The head coach of the Clarkson Golden Knights.

Shawn O'Donnell

A player for the Clarkson Golden Knights who scored a key shorthanded goal to spark their comeback.

Matthew Mayich

A freshman defender for the Clarkson Golden Knights who scored the game-tying goal.

Erik Bargholtz

A senior player for the Clarkson Golden Knights who scored the go-ahead goal to complete the comeback.

Rand Pecknold

The head coach of the Quinnipiac Bobcats, who was left stunned by his team's collapse.

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What they’re saying

“The team has taken all the lessons learned throughout the season. A lot can be said about fighting through adversity and then getting better. We have done a really good job using those lessons we have learned.”

— J.F. Houle, Clarkson head coach

“Obviously, it all happened really fast. We scored a quick shorty to get it within a goal and another right after to tie the game. So with the tight game, it was all up to whoever scored the fourth goal tonight. Quinnipiac was kind of stunned a little bit and could never recover from it.”

— J.F. Houle, Clarkson head coach

“It's ridiculous, it really is. I don't wanna use the term embarrassing, ridiculous is the better word.”

— Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac head coach (Quinnipiac Chronicle)

“We basically had the game won. We are a really good defensive hockey team, or have been in the past. We just made some immature decisions, lacked details and lacked buy-in.”

— Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac head coach (Quinnipiac Chronicle)

“I have no clue. I'll have a clue eventually. Right now it's just trying to process the craziest loss, one of the worst losses we've ever had. We'll deal with that later. I assumed we were playing tomorrow.”

— Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac head coach (Quinnipiac Chronicle)

What’s next

Clarkson will play second-seeded Dartmouth on Friday at Lake Placid in the ECAC semifinals.

The takeaway

Clarkson's improbable comeback against the top-seeded Quinnipiac Bobcats showcases the Golden Knights' resilience and ability to overcome adversity, setting up an intriguing ECAC semifinal matchup against Dartmouth as Clarkson continues its quest for a championship.