Offiicial press release from RPI's SID

MARSTERS BACKSTOPS SHUTOUT OF SACRED HEART
Engineers improve to 13-9-2 with 3-0 victory

Senior Nathan Marsters made 18 saves to post his second consecutive
shutout
and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) defeated Sacred Heart, 3-0,
in a
non-league men's hockey contest at the Houston Field House in Troy,
N.Y. With the win, the Engineers improve to 13-9-2. The Pioneers are now
4-14-3 and winless in 11 straight games (0-8-3).

Marsters posted his third shutout of the season, and eighth of his
career,
by making eight saves in the first period, six in the second and four in
the third. He now has a streak of 146:17 without allowing a goal. He
improved his personal record to 12-7-1 this season.

It took just 32 seconds for Rensselaer to get on the board as sophomore
forward Kirk MacDonald deflected a shot into the back of the net. RPI's
leading scorer, MacDonald earned his 11th of the season when he tipped a
Nick Economakos shot past Sacred Heart netminder Jason Smith.

Kevin Croxton doubled the Engineers lead late in the second period when
he
scored through Smith's legs for a power play goal with 50 seconds left
in
the stanza. MacDonald and senior defenseman Scott Basiuk earned the
assist
on the tally, which came on RPI's fifth (of six) power play of the
period. Smith was outstanding otherwise, stopping 12 shots, including
several outstanding stops with his team shorthanded.

An empty net, shorthanded goal by senior Ben Barr with ten seconds left
in
the third period sealed the victory for the Engineers. Blake Pickett
earned the only assist on the goal, Barr's fifth of the season.

Smith finished with 33 saves, including 12 in the second and 15 in the
third period. He fell to 0-4-0 this season.

Rensselaer, which finished 1 for 9 on the power play, returns to action
on
Friday night when it travels to Dartmouth for an Eastern College
Athletic
Conference (ECAC) contest beginning at 7pm. Sacred Heart is back in
action
on Friday night when they will host Atlantic Hockey League foe
Connecticut
in the first of a home-and-home series.