RPI SID press release
MEN’S HOCKEY EXPLODES IN SECOND IN WIN
Engineers score four times in middle stanza to beat Quinnipiac
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team scored four goals on five shots in the second period on their way to a 6-3 win over Quinnipiac University in a non-league Division I game at the Houston Field House before a crowd of 2,852. With the win, RPI extends its unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1) and improves to 6-3-1 on the season. The Braves are now 9-3-2.
Quinnipiac opened the scoring at 9:11 of the first period when sophomore Brian Herbert scored on a rebound from the right ircle. Saratoga Springs, NY, native Ben Blais took the initial shot from the left faceoff circle and it was kicked to Herbert, who tallied his third of the season. RPI came back with under a minute to go in the period when sophomore Nolan Graham, who would finish the game with two goals and an assist, tied the game when his shot from the left faceoff circle slipped underneath Braves’ goalie Justin Eddy and just crossed the goal line. Matt Murley and Jim Vickers earned the assists on Graham’s seventh goal of the season. Just 30 seconds later, however, Quinnipiac’s Shawn Mansoff put the Braves back in front when he beat Rensselaer goaltender Nathan Marsters high to the glove side. Herbert and Chad Poliquin, who also assisted on the game’s first goal, earned the assists.
The second period saw the Engineers explode for four goals in a 5:30 span, despite being outshot, 17 to 5, in the period. Graham tied the game with his second of the game when he sent a
wristshot past Eddy at the 10:55 mark. Junior Andrew McPherson put RPI ahead on a shorthanded goal from the slot at the 13:21 mark and Carson Butterwick helped Rensselaer take advantage of a two-minute, five-on-three power play just 1:15 later. Engineers captain Steve Munn put the home team ahead, 5-3, with a power play goal of his own at 16:17 of the middle stanza.
The Braves fought back to within two goals when Chris Cerella stole the puck at his own team’s blueline, skated in on a reakaway and scored with just 11 seconds remaining in the second period. Although he did allow Cerrella’s ninth of the season, Marsters, a freshman, was outstanding as he made 16 saves in the second period. Eddy stopped one shot, a long dump-in early in the period.
The third period saw only one goal, an empty net tally from Butterwick with 1:40 left to play. Graham set up the play when he blocked a shot at the blueline, sending Butterwick in alone for the open net tally. For Butterwick, who had two goals and an assist, the marker was his fifth of the year.
Marsters earned the win in the net by stopping 28 shots. Eddy made 10 saves in the first two periods before being relieved by J.C. Wells, who stopped 12 shots in the third period.
RPI (1-2-1 ECAC) returns to the ice on December 8 when they
travel to Yale for an ECAC contest (7pm). Quinnipiac (7-1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) is right back in action on Sunday when they’ll travel to Union for a game at Achilles Rink (7pm).
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Kevin Beattie
Sports Information Director
Rensselaer
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end RPI press release; begin Lewin commentary
This evening proved to be an interesting evening in several ways. I had only seen two MAAC teams before when Holy Cross
and Mercyhurst had come to Troy. What with the ongoing discussion about the strength "or lack, thereof" of the MAAC league, I was interested in seeing how Quinnipeac, the best of the MAAC would match up against RPI, seemingly a middle of the pack team this year in, arguably, the top to bottom weakest of the 4 established division 1 leagues. The answer not surprisingly, was, it depends.
There seemed to be three different games going on tonight and it was difficult to know which was the real RPI and which the real Quinnipeac.
The first period was all Quinnipeac despite a close 2-1 score after the period. Quinnipeac played a Cornell style hockey sending 3 men in deep and forechecking effectively keeping RPI from getting set up in their own defensive zone and preventing RPI from getting any sustained offense going. RPI, on the other hand, just didn't seem to be playing with any heart. It was unclear what the problem was although they might have been suffering from the idea that they were playing a non-league game against the MAAC and had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Also, they were probably suffering a letdown from last night's 2-2 tie with Union where they dominated just about every aspect of the game except the goals on the scoreboard.
Whatever the reason, RPI was clearly outplayed in the first period. Not helping matters was RPI tying the score 1-1 with just 56 seconds left in the first and then allowing Quinnipeac
to score 31 seconds later to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
The second period saw RPI step up the physical play to match that of Quinnipeac and the first half of the period was pretty even. RPI started making use of their superior speed to develop
scoring chances but Quinnipeac's 3 forechecking forwards gave them chances also and made it difficult for RPI to transition from defense to offense. All that changed at 10:55 when RPI's Nolan Graham tied the score at 2-2 and drew the crowd back into the game. RPI came alive and the Engineer forwards started going
in deep themselves and started establishing their own forechecking game. The Braves were slow to adjust and 2 and 1/2
minutes later, the Engineers took the lead when Andrew McPherson
scored a short handed goal. Just over a minute later, Quinnipeac
made a terrible mistake when Chris Cerella was called for a slash. Before the whistle was blown, Neil Breen took an RPI forward head first into the boards causing referee Dan Murphy to call a second penalty giving RPI a full 2 minute, 5 on 3 power play. Having learned their lession last night about the importance of 5 on 3 advantages, RPI took just 13 seconds to put the puck past Justin Eddy to go up 4-2. With six seconds left
in the 5 on 4 advantage, RPI scored another power play goal to take a 5-2 lead and it looked like the rout was on. Quinnipeac took a timeout to regroup at that point and must have discussed their original gameplan since they returned to their original
forechecking style and didn't roll over and give up. Instead, they worked hard and put another goal on the board with just 11 seconds to go in the second period making it 5-3.
The third period was as different as the first two. RPI
went into defense mode to protect their two goal lead and started checking more vigorously. Eventually, this took its toll
since RPI, who had a speed advantage most of the night, started pulling away from Quinnipeac. The Braves looked tired and were having trouble keeping up with the Engineers. Quinnipeac hadn't
played since 11/21 while RPI had a game the previous night and one would have thought that RPI would be more tired than the Braves, but thats not the way things looked. Only some good goaltending by Quinnipeac's senior goaltender, JC Wells
kept the game from becoming a blowout with RPI outshooting the Braves 12 to 5 in the final period. RPI scored an empty netter at 18:20 to bring the score to 6-3.
So what conclusion can we draw from this game as to the strentgh
of the ECAC vs. the strength of the MAAC from this game. Probably none, since there aren't that many inter-league games
to be able to draw any rock solid conclusions. Together with
the knowledge that any team can beat any other team on any given night and the thought that the best team doesn't always win,
no conclusions can be drawn from any game. But after all, that's why we keep going back game after game, isn't it? ;-)
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