>FRIDGEN SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
>Martin and Engineers shut out Mercyhurst, 5-0, to give coach 187 wins
>
>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) allowed just 17 shots, all stopped
>by senior netminder Andrew Martin, in shutting out Mercyhust College, 5-0,
>in a Division I men's hockey game at the Houston Field House. With the
>win, the Engineers improve to 4-2-1, giving 11th-year head coach Dan
>Fridgen his 187th victory, which is the most in school history. Fridgen
>(187-156-31) had been tied with Mike Addesa, who coached Rensselaer in the
>1980s. The Lakers fall to 1-5-0.
>
>After a scoreless first period, the Engineers exploded for three
>second-period goals and led 3-0 after two periods. RPI's first goal came
>off the stick of junior forward Chris Hussey, who broke down the right
>side and scored over the shoulder of Mercyhurst goaltender Andy Franck
>just 30 seconds into the stanza. For Hussey, who was assisted by
>Alexander Valentin and Oren Eizenman, the goal extended his point-scoring
>streak to seven games this season (4 goals, 4 assists). RPI doubled its
>lead at the 14:52 mark when junior forward Kevin Croxton skated from
>behind the net and scored between Franck's legs. Nick Economakos and Kirk
>MacDonald earned the assists on the play. Valentin, who had three assists
>on Friday night, scored the third goal when his shot deflected off a
>defenseman and into the goal. Scott Romfo and Eizenman were credited with
>the assists on the goal, which came at the 16:36 mark.
>
>Junior forward Kirk MacDonald put the Engineers ahead by four goals with
>his team-leading seventh goal of the season with RPI on the power
>play. Croxton and Economakos set up the goal, which came at 17:07 with
>Rensselaer on the power play. Sophomore Kevin Broad tacked home the
>game's final goal at the 17:53 mark, with the assists going to Scott Romfo
>and Vic Pereira.
>
>Martin earned his first shutout with the Engineers by making two saves in
>the first period, six in the second and nine in the third period. Franck
>finished with 29 saves, including 13 in the first period, in the loss.
>
>The Engineers return to action on Friday night when they will host
>Clarkson in the ECAC Hockey League opener for both teams. During the
>second intermission of that game, Rensselaer will induct legendary hockey
>player Adam Oates '85 into the school's Athletics Hall of
>Fame. Mercyhurst will compete next on Friday at Army in an Atlantic
>Hockey League game.
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