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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Junior captain Kyle Rau scored twice and the first-ranked University of Minnesota men's hockey team defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 6-2, in the consolation game of the Mariucci Classic, this evening at Mariucci Arena. With the win, the Golden Gophers improve to 13-2-3 overall, while the Engineers drop to 8-8-4.

Rensselaer opened the scoring at 15:57 of the first period, when senior Brock Higgs (Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyageurs) got on the end of a Zach Schroeder (Prior Lake, MN/Saint Thomas Academy) feed before the puck defected in off a defender. The tally, which was Higgs' 13th of the season, came shorthanded.

The Gophers tied the score (1-1) with just 43 seconds remaining the opening frame. A shot from the right point by senior Justin Holl (Tonka Bay, MN/Lincoln) was redirected through the legs of RPI junior netminder Scott Diebold (Buffalo, NY/Tri-City Storm). Freshman Vinny Lettieri (Exelsior, MN/Lincoln) picked up the second assist.

Minnesota took the lead for good at 21 seconds of the second period on a tally by junior Travis Boyd (Hopkins, MN/U.S. National Dev. Team). Boyd picked out the top left corner of the net for an unassisted marker – his fifth of the year.

Rau (Eden Prairie, MN/Sioux Falls) made a 3-1 game at 1:19 of the second, picking up a rebound and slamming it home past Diebold. Freshman Justin Kloos (Lakeville, MN/Waterloo) then made it a three-goal game (4-1) at 6:49. Junior defenseman Ben Marshall (Mahtomedi, MN/Omaha) earned assists on both goals.

RPI junior Matt Neal (Minesing, ON/Stoufville Spirit) drew the visitors to within 4-2 at 6:57 of the third period, controlling a loose puck in the slot and whipping a shot into the top left corner for his eighth of the year. Helpers went to freshman Parker Reno (Edina, MN/Edina) and junior Curtis Leonard (Napanee, ON/Wellington Dukes).

After the Engineers had a goal disallowed due an interference call, the Gophers scored in the ensuing penalty, as Rau picked up his second of the night and fifth of the season at 11:18. Classmate Seth Ambroz (New Prague, MN/Omaha) then added an empty-net goal to cap the scoring.

Diebold (7-7-4) ended the night with 38 saves, including 18 in the second period alone. Minnesota sophomore goaltender Adam Wilcox (12-2-3) finished with 18 saves at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when visit Princeton and eighth-ranked Quinnipiac. RPI visits the Tigers on Friday (7pm) and Bobcats on Saturday (4pm).