RPI snapped a six-game winless streak this weekend by splitting a pair of home games. The Engineers shut out Vermont, 6-0, on Friday night but dropped a tough 4-2 match against Dartmouth on Saturday.
The Engineers didn’t get off to a great start on Friday—they lost the opening face off and then proceeded to have difficulties getting out of the neutral zone. Those problems, however, did not seem to last for very long—with 14:23 remaining, Forward Marc Cavosie dumped the puck into Vermont’s zone where Captain Matt Murley sped down behind the net to receive it. With a flick of his wrist, Murley passed it back to Cavosie, who shot it into the net just underneath Goalie Shawn Conschafter’s glove.
In order to try to dampen RPI’s momentum, Vermont repeatedly iced the puck for the remainder of the first period, and stuck to the same style of play in the second. Much to the Catamounts’ chagrin, more than that was required to stop the RPI onslaught. Vermont seemed to be having some luck in slowing down the RPI offense, but just over halfway into the period Carson Butterwick dumped the puck down the boards, where Murley was able to pick it up and find the net with a slap shot from the left point. The Engineers, now ahead by two goals, seemed to let up for the rest of the period.
Despite a two-goal deficit, the Catamounts came out after the second break with fire in their eyes. Due to an obstruction-holding call on RPI Defenseman Steve Munn in the final seconds of the second period, Vermont started the final period with a man advantage. For the first half of the period, penalties were assessed left and right, and RPI had to fend off several Vermont power plays.
Goalie Nathan Marsters made save after amazing save to help RPI’s penalty kill, and finally the Engineers got their chance to be on a power play when Vermont put too many men on the ice. Defenseman Jim Vickers started off the play with a pass down the ice to Forward Conrad Barnes, who saw an opportunity and took a shot. A Vermont defenseman got in the way and blocked the shot, but Engineer Forward Jim Henkel picked up the blocked puck, and without wasting any time shot it into the top of the net, putting RPI up three goals.
From that point on, the Engineers had all of the momentum, scoring again two minutes later as Vermont tried to clear the puck from deep in their zone. It was intercepted by Cavosie, he crossed the puck to Murley, and Murley buried it in the back of the net.
To try to change things up, Vermont switched goalies by putting in freshman Mike Gomez. In the long run, it might have been better for Vermont to have left an empty net and gained an extra man. While Gomez was in net, he failed to stop a single shot. RPI had two breakaways by forwards Andrew McPherson and Ben Barr, each of whom scored on a single shot.
With that win, the Engineers pulled themselves out of last place. Using their momentum from the night before, RPI was able to get off the first goal against Dartmouth on Saturday night after only 3:22 had elapsed, Cavosie and Murley combining for the goal. Dartmouth tied the game at the 6:51 mark when Chris Baldwin and Jamie Harrington turned a shorthanded breakaway into a goal.
In the second period, Dartmouth enforcer Brian Van Abel hit Marc Cavosie hard into the boards. Cavosie crawled back to the bench and hobbled into the locker room with a knee injury; fortunately for RPI, he was able to return later in the game.
The teams traded hits, penalties and scoring chances until midway through the third period. Engineer Steve Munn floated a puck past Big Green Goalie Nick Boucher, Cavosie and Murley assisting.
RPI looked to have the game in hand with a one-goal lead and only 11:18 remaining, but Kent Gillings tied the score with just over three minutes left in regulation. Dartmouth Forward Jamie Herrington took control of the game at that point, scoring the game-winning goal just a minute later. He also tallied a game-clincher with only fifteen seconds remaining after RPI failed to clear the zone and get an extra attacker on the ice. Mike Wheelihan was also a key player for Dartmouth, tallying assists on the game-tying and game-winning goals.
After the game, Head Coach Dan Fridgen gave some insight into the weekend games and the road series against the same two opponents.
“I certainly thought for what we put into the game, we earned better than that [result],” Fridgen said.
RPI will be on the road Friday and Saturday, playing Dartmouth and Vermont again. The Engineers hope to end their struggles on the road, where they have gone 1-7-1. Fridgen is confident that his team will perform well.
“Hopefully I have a bunch of coffee beans in there. Why coffee beans? Because under pressure and under adversity, coffee beans taste their best. Hopefully with the high temperature, we’ll be at our best.”
