The men’s hockey team had a mediocre winter vacation, skating to a 1-4-1 record since the fall semester classes ended on December 5. One bright spot, however, was the play of freshman forward Kevin Croxton, who is developing into a strong offensive threat and already has six goals for the season.
In a game played at the Field House on December 10, the Boston University Terriers defeated RPI 4-1, with all four goals coming from four different players. After a scoreless first period of action, the Terriers got on the scoreboard first when junior Franktisek Skladany racked his third goal of the season at the 2:18 mark with assists coming from Ken Magowan and Ryan Whitney. RPI knotted the score at one with a power play goal from Croxton at 15:24 of the second period, but the Terriers stormed back and regained the lead just 42 seconds later with Mark Mullen’s fifth goal of the season.
Sixteen days later the Engineers’ returned to the Field House to host the Merrimack Warriors in the second game of the 52nd annual HSBC Holiday Tournament, the oldest invitational holiday tournament in Division I men’s hockey. The visiting Warriors held the Engineers’ offense to just one goal in a 2-1 win. Merrimack stunned the roaring home crowd early in the action with a power play goal from junior forward Tim Reidy in the first period. The Engineers managed to mount a late comeback with a clutch goal from defense Scott Basiuk at 3:58 in the third period but were unable to force overtime when Warrior Brendon Clark scored on his own rebound from the bottom of the right face-off circle at 12:24.
In the consolation game of the tournament, the lowly Princeton Tigers defeated Rensselaer for the second time of the season despite 28 saves from RPI goalie Nathan Marsters and an early lead. The Princeton Tigers have managed only three wins in 20 games played this year, with two of those wins coming against the Engineers. RPI grabbed the lead in the first period with Croxton’s snapshot goal from the left circle at the 15:56 mark. The Tigers came roaring back, however, with two goals in the next three minutes from sophomore Neil Stevenson-Moore and freshman Patrick Neundorfer and held onto their lead to defeat RPI 4-3.
In their return to action in the new year, the Engineers’ split a weekend series against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. In the first game, RPI defeated Minnesota handily with 32 saves from goalie Kevin Kurk in a 5-2 victory in front of 2554 screaming fans. The Bulldogs got their revenge the next night, however, fueled by two power play goals in the second period and an even strength goal in the third period for a 3-2 win. Minnesota goalie Isaac Reichmuth frustrated the Engineers’ offense throughout the game and halted any chance of a late comeback with 10 of his 26 saves coming in the third period.
The Engineers’ traveled to Achilles Rink in Schenectady last weekend to play rival Union College. The Engineers’ took the lead late in the first period of action with a goal from junior Ryan Shields at the 19:09 mark and seemed to be on the verge of victory for the night. In a wild second period with five goals from both teams, though, the Dutchmen had tied the score at three a piece. Neither team could manage a goal in the third period, and Union and RPI skated to a stalemate.
