The Rensselaer Red Hawks enjoyed a successful week, winning games over UCAA rival Skidmore and non-conference foe Wheaton.
Wednesday the Red Hawks traveled to Skidmore to take on the Thoroughbreds. Rensselaer took an early 3-2 lead, using a crushing defense to outscore Skidmore.
The Thoroughbreds stormed back in the second quarter, scoring five goals to RPI’s two. The two goal halftime lead did not last long for Skidmore, as Rensselaer scored six goals and held the Thoroughbreds to just one.
Skidmore attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, but managed only two goals. RPI held onto their lead and went on to win the game 12-10.
Nick Culotti led the way for Rensselaer, scoring five goals and tallying two assists. Adam LoGiudice added one goal and four assists. Andrew Teichman and Luke Ruglis each scored two goals in the Red Hawk win, while Rensselaer goalkeeper Matthew Moog made 17 saves. Tommy Spinella and Chris Bivona led the way for Skidmore, each scoring two goals and Thoroughbred goaltender James de Cortier made 11 saves in the losing effort. With the loss, Skidmore fell to 1-1 in UCAA play and 5-4 overall.
The resurgent Red Hawks came home the next day to make up a postponed game against the Wheaton Lyons. The conditions were very icy, and the lack of traction made it hard for the players to make exceptional moves or play tight defense.
Wheaton started off the scoring when Scott Liston bounced a ball into the back of the net. LoGiudice and Ruglis opened up the scoring for RPI before Liston scored again to tie the game at two. Jeff Hobbs rounded out the scoring in the first quarter, beating Lyons goaltender Bryant Denny with 33 second left in the period.
RPI’s crushing attack continued in the second, with Cullotti, Ruglis, and LoGiudice scoring goals just one minute apart. Wheaton’s J.J. Velez tallied the third Lyons goal just before halftime to cut the Rensselaer lead to three.
The third period was all Red Hawks, as Teichman scored a pretty goal at 10:10. Ruglis put a shot past Denny to put the Red Hawks up 8-3.
RPI kicked off the scoring in the fourth period, with Teichman and LoGiudice finding the goal to put RPI up 10-3.
Wheaton charged back in the fourth quarter, scoring six of the last seven goals, but came up just short. Five goals in the last four minutes could not pull Wheaton ahead, as the Red Hawks took the game 11-9.
Red Hawks goalie Moog made 12 saves, and replacement Joe Garvey made a single save in six minutes of work. Ruglis and LoGiudice led the way in the scoring column for the Red Hawks, each tallying three goals and an assist. Teichman and Culotti added three points each to help RPI improve to 6-1. Wheaton now stands at 1-5.
The 16th-ranked Red Hawks will travel to Clarkson Saturday to take on the 17th-ranked Golden Knights at 1 pm. The Golden Knights are 6-1 and 1-0 in the UCAA.
