The RPI Engineers fell shy of defeating the ninth nationally ranked Union College Dutchmen, after a strong start this past Thursday in the fifth annual Mayor’s Cup. The Mayor’s Cup drew a crowd of over 5,200 to Albany’s Times Union Center. This loss pushes RPI to 4-21-1 for the season, and marks the second time Union has scored a 3-2 overtime win over the Engineers.
Junior forward Riley Bourbonnais put RPI on the board at 15:36 into the first period, with his 10th goal of the season. In the late second period, Charlie Manley scored a team-leading goal which was preceded just moments earlier with a goal from Union’s Luc Brown.
Engineers’ head coach Seth Appert said he liked how his team played, despite the loss, hinting at the hopes for a better latter half of the season. “… since the holiday break, [this is] a team that’s starting to believe in each other, and in themselves, how we need to play this year in order for us to have an opportunity to get to Lake Placid for the ECAC championship.”
Union started the third period with a goal from Anthony Rinaldi, just 1:50 in. Throughout the third period, the Engineers had decent scoring chances, outshooting Union 10-4, but Union goalie Alex Sakellaropoulos managed to hold them off. In overtime, Cole Maier scored the game winning goal, only 33 seconds in.
Coach Appert shrugged off the loss, saying, “That’s overtime hockey. It’s just one play.” Coming back from a pair of seven-game losing streaks isn’t an easy undertaking, he said.
The Engineers’ next faceoff is away at St. Lawrence’s Appleton Arena in Canton, NY at 7 pm.