MEN'S HOCKEY SHUTS OUT IONA
Engineers outshoot Gaels, 52-13, to improve to 2-3-0

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) generated a season-high 52 shots on
goal and defeated Iona, 2-0, in a Division I men's hockey game this evening
at the Houston Field House in Troy, N.Y.  A crowd of 2,673 saw junior
netminder Kevin Kurk stop all 13 shots he faced as the Engineers outshot
the Gaels, 52-13.  With the win, RPI snapped a three-game losing streak and
improved to 2-3-0 on the season.  Iona is now 0-3-1.

After a scoreless first period, Rensselaer's Ryan Shields broke the
deadlock with his first goal of the season.  A junior, Shields scored on a
rebound from just outside the crease four minutes into the second
peroid.  Scott Romfo, a freshman who took the initial shot from the right
point, earned first point of his collegiate career with an assist.  Mikael
Hammarstrom, a junior, also had a hand in the goal.

The Engineers doubled their lead eight minutes later when freshman
defenseman Brad Farynuk scored with RPI on the power play.  Danny Eberly
and Mark Yurkewecz earned the helpers.  For Yurkewecz, a freshman from
Troy, N.Y., the assist was his first college point.  Iona goaltender Ian
Vigier, a freshman, was outstanding in the period despite allowing two
goals as RPI outshot the Gaels, 23-2, in the middle stanza.

Vigier then stopped all 17 shots he faced in the third period to keep the
Gaels close.  However, Kurk was as equally effective, stopping all seven
shots he faced in the third period for the first shutout of his collegiate
career.

The Engineers are back in action on Saturday night when they will travel to
West Point, N.Y. to take on the Cadets of Army beginning at 7pm.  Iona will
make its home debut against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent
Holy Cross at 7:30pm on Saturday night.