Following a devastating loss to Yale University in the Big Red Freakout! weekend, the Engineers dropped another game to an Ivy League opponent, and continued on their losing ways. This past Friday, RPI lost to No. 10 Cornell University by a mark of 4-1 before falling to the Colgate University Raiders in overtime by a score of 2-1. The two losses place Rensselaer at the near-bottom of the ECAC barrel, with a dismal overall record of 7-23-2 and 6-13-1 in the league, good for a meager 13 points and the 11th place position.

Friday’s loss at Cornell snapped a three-game skid for the Big Red, who are now 16-6-4 overall and 11-5-3 in the ECAC, and sit in third place.

Cornell came out shooting in the opening frame, creating a three-goal cushion in its opening period onslaught. Senior Tyler Mugford tallied the first of two goals on the evening just over four minutes into the start of the game, and was soon followed by classmate Evan Barlow who increased the lead to 2-0 a mere five minutes later. Mugford closed out scoring in the period with his fourth of the season at 11:03 in a near-copy of his first goal.

The second period remained much tamer than its predecessor, as the Big Red notched only one more mark on the board. Junior Blake Gallagher tallied his fifth goal of the season at 11:51 before the Engineers and Big Red battled it out to the closing minutes of play before the intermission.

Maintaining their dignity against a tough opponent, the Engineers broke the Big Red’s shutout bid and placed a lone goal on the scoreboard midway through the third period. Junior forward Garett Vassel notched his first of the season, with assists from sophomores John Kennedy and Bryan Brutlag. The newly penned line of sophomores Chase Polacek and Tyler Helfrich, along with Vassel, placed solid pressure around the Cornell net.

With the Big Red hemmed in their defensive zone, the puck found its way to Kennedy on the left point, who made a crisp point-to-point pass to Brutlag on the right. Vassel provided a strong screen in front of junior Ben Scrivens for Brutlag’s shot and was able to get a stick on it to deflect the puck past the goaltender.

“Goals are exciting! I mean after all, that is how you win games,” said Vassel. “That goal did give us life—it was the middle of the third period—but it still got the troops fired up.” He continued, saying, “Anything is possible, and when a goal is scored, it gets the blood pumping for another ... and another ... and another.”

The ensuing faceoff resulted in a power play for RPI; however, the team was unable to capitalize on the man advantage to gain ground on the Big Red.

Senior goaltender Mathias Lange made 19 saves on the evening, while his counterpart Scrivens had 24 stops, including nine in the third period, to gain his 16th win of the year.

“I think we stayed positive throughout the weekend and kept working hard,” explained sophomore Joel Malchuk. “Most teams would have rolled over and maybe quit in a rink like Cornell’s, but I think we had a very good third period which carried over into the Colgate game. It showed us what we have to do, but for 60 minutes rather than here and there in a game.”

Currently seeded just one position above RPI, the Colgate University Raiders provided an evenly matched game that went into extra time before a winner was decided.

The Engineers took the early lead in the opening period before the Raiders tied it up in the second. Following a scoreless third, the Raiders came back to take the game in overtime. Snagging 10th place in the league, Colgate is now 11-6-6 overall on the season and 6-11-4 in the ECAC.

Starting out the game strong, Malchuk netted his first collegiate goal at 15:49 of the first period as the Engineers took the early lead. Receiving a pass from senior linemate Kurt Colling, Malchuk was able to send a low wrist shot past junior netminder Charles Long. The goalie was able to get a piece of the puck on his shoulder, but could not stop it from flying into the net for the Engineer lead. Coming off an injury-riddled season last year, Malchuk was glad for the goal: “It was a great forecheck by my wingers Kurt Colling and [freshman] Jordan Watts; they did all the work and just got me the puck,” explained Malchuk. “I was just lucky enough to get it over the goalie’s shoulder, but it definitely felt good to get that first one of my college career. It felt like so long because I went all last year without scoring, as I only played six games due to my injury. I almost forgot what it felt like, but it was a great feeling.”

The Raiders came back to tie the game at one off a breakaway goal by junior David McIntyre at 14:25. McIntyre was able to collect the puck in his own defensive zone before going coast-to-coast and burying the puck past rookie goaltender Allen York’s five-hole for his 18th of the season.

Although the third period remained scoreless, it was not without action. RPI was able to kill four penalties in the final period of regulation to force the game into overtime, including a five-minute major for boarding that actually began right before the conclusion of the second period.

Vassel recieved the major after laying out a hit on Colgate junior Jason Williams. Although the hit was deemed clean, Williams remained on the ice for 20 minutes before being escorted out of the rink on a stretcher. “Jason is a friend, and nobody likes to see someone laying on the ice motionless. We both have a lot of respect for each other, and he assured me I should not feel bad about what happened,” explained Vassel.

With just over a minute remaining in the extra frame, McIntyre proved his worth as he netted his second of the game for the win. Receiving a pass from senior Peter Bogdanich from behind the net, McIntyre was able to send a one-timer from outside of the RPI crease into the net for the game-winner.

The win marks the ninth straight game the Raiders have taken against the Engineers while at Starr Rink.

“Losses burn. Especially ones in overtime,” explained Vassel. “We have really been working to become a more consistent hockey team. We have certainly had our share of struggles this season, but I find it very encouraging just how much resiliency we have shown. There is this sort of underdog/fighter identity building among us, and I hope it drives us towards a strong finish.”

This weekend, RPI finishes the regular season at home with a few special events. Friday’s game against Clarkson University marks Pink at the Rink night, where the team will sport custom pink jerseys to support raising funds for the American Cancer Society to go towards cancer research. In addition, Head Coach Seth Appert will wear a special pink tie that will also be auctioned off post-game.The following evening is Senior Appreciation Night, where five Engineers—Matt Angers-Goulet, Colling, Seth Klerer, Lange, and Andrei Uryadov—will be recognized for their contributions to the hockey program over the past four years, as the puck drops against the No. 17 St. Lawrence University Saints. Both games begin at 7 pm.

Vassel looks forward to being a leader on-and-off the ice this weekend as the team heads to the ECAC playoffs: “We are going to win both games. They are playoff games, and we have already moved into playoff mode. We have been building and learning all year, but now it is time to start taking some huge leaps forward.”