MEN'S HOCKEY SHUTS OUT VERMONT, 6-0
Marsters stops 27 shots to help RPI end streak


The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team exploded for six goals and got 27 saves from sophomore Nathan Marsters to shutout the University of Vermont, 6-0, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) contest this evening at the Houston Field House in Troy, NY.  The Engineers improved to 9-9-3 overall and 3-6-2 in the ECAC and snapped a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) in league action.  The Catamounts are now 3-15-2 and 3-7-1.

RPI jumped out to an early lead when Capital Region natives Matt Murley and Marc Cavosie connected at 5:37 of the first period.  Murley, a senior from Troy, took control of the puck behind the UVM net, spun away from a Vermont defenseman and fed Cavosie, a junior from Cohoes who scored on a wrist shot from the low slot, high to the glove side.  For Cavosie, the ECAC's leading point producer, the goal was his 13 th of the season.  Marsters kept the Catamounts off the board in the first period, stopping 17 shots, including a breakaway.

Murley put the Engineers ahead by two goals midway through the second period when he scored on a slap shot from the left point.  The goal, Murley's 14 th of the year, was set up by junior Carson Butterwick, who sent the puck around the boards.  Cavosie also tallied an assist, his 17 th of the year.  Murley, who ranks among the leaders in the nation in goals per game, has now had a hand in 11 of RPI's last 13 goals over the last four games.

RPI broke the game open with four goals in the third period.  Senior Jim Henkel scored from the bottom of the right face-off circle at 12:59; Murley scored his second of the night on a nifty feed from Cavosie at 15:09; senior Andrew McPherson tallied on a breakaway at 16:14; and Ben Barr scored his first of the season on a partial break at the 17:57 mark.

Shawn Conschafter stopped 31 saves in the loss for the Catamounts.

Rensselaer is back in action on Saturday night when they host league foe Dartmouth at 7pm at the Houston Field House.  The Catamounts will be at Union College, which tied Dartmouth, 3-3, on Friday, for a league game beginning at 7pm.