The Engineers skated strongly all preseason, looking sharp in the Red and White exhibition game, and hoped to continue their upbeat play against the No. 7 Boston University Terriers. In the first period, RPI held BU scoreless, but failed to convert on the first power play opportunity of the game.

The Terriers got their first power play opportunity just 15 seconds into the second period, when captain Ben Barr took a two minute minor penalty for delay of game. The Engineers managed to kill off the penalty, but Keith McWilliams took a penalty 35 seconds later.

The Engineers managed to kill off most of the penalty, but BU’s Gregg Johnson found the back of the net with help from Ken Magowan and Eric Thomassian.

The Terrier offense could not be stopped, and less than a minute later, Matt Radoslovich put a puck past RPI goalie Nathan Marsters with assist from David Klema and John Laliberte.

Down 2-0, the Engineers looked to regroup, but BU showed why they are a nationally-ranked team. David VanderGulik scored the Terriers third goal, and RPI fell into a three goal hole.

Just 26 seconds later, Engineer leader Scott Basiuk got RPI on the board with help from Alexander Valentin and newcomer Tommy Green. The Engineers looked to keep the pressure up, but could not punch through the Terrier defense.

The powerful BU offense struck again at 16:04, when Klema scored the second goal for his line, and BU’s third of the game, assisted by Radoslovich and Laliberte.

The Engineers came out with fire in the third period, and their intensity was rewarded at 7:26. Barr pushed a puck past BU goalie Steve Fields to bring the Engineers within two, 4-2. RPI could not capitalize on a Terrier penalty midway through the period, and at 15:11 BU put the game away with a Kenny Roche goal from Brad Zancanaro and Frantisek Skladany. The Engineers could not score for the rest of the game, and the Terriers took the game 5-2. Marsters made 24 saves in the losing effort.

RPI hoped to bounce back Sunday against the Providence Friars.

The Engineers looked to score first, and got the opportunity when Providence’s Colin McDonald took a two minute penalty at 6:13. Just over a minute later, Kirk MacDonald tallied his first goal of the season on the power play off of assists from Barr and Mikael Hammarstrom.

The Engineers could not hold onto the lead however, and four minutes later Friar forward Peter Zingoni shot a puck past Marsters to tie the game at one. Providence continued to keep up the pressure, and Chase Watson scored with four seconds remaining in the first period to put the Friars up 2-1.

Rensselaer pushed to tie the game at two, and just off of a minute of power play, Ryan Shields tallied a goal from Brad Farynuk and Kevin Croxton.

Providence took advantage of Engineer turnovers after they tied up the game. Jonathan Goodwin put in an errant RPI pass to put the Friars up 3-2.

As the third period began, the Friars took control of the game. Nate Meyers scored the fourth Providence goal on the evening with help from Torry Gajda and Mike Robinson.

The Engineers got the opportunity to get back in the game, with Providence’s Eric Lundberg taking a five minute major penalty at 14:55 for hitting from behind. Lundberg also received a game misconduct and the Engineers had a five minute guaranteed man advantage.

RPI could not convert with a one-man advantage, and pulled Marsters to get a two-man advantage. Providence’s Stephen Wood tallied an empty net, shorthanded goal to put the Engineers away, 5-2.