Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore forward Jonathan Ornelas (Mississauga, ON/Milton IceHawks) scored two breakaway goals in the third period to lead Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a 4-1 win over Princeton University in an ECACHL men’s hockey contest in front of 3,297 fans at the Houston Field House. Ornelas, who wears #9, tallied his eighth and ninth goals of the season on a night when Rensselaer added Joe Juneau’s name and number (#9) to its Hockey Ring of Honor.
With its victory, Rensselaer improved to 6-4-1 overall, including 6-2-1 in its last nine games, and 2-1-1 in the ECACHL. Princeton is now 2-4-0 and 1-3-0.
The Engineers jumped out to a 1-0 lead when junior Oren Eizenman (Toronto, ON/Wexford Raiders) tallied his sixth goal of the season at 8:22 of the first period. With Rensselaer on the power play, freshman Seth Klerer (Thornhill, ON/North York Rangers) passed the puck to Kevin Croxton (Calgary, AB/Camrose Kodiaks), who fed Eizenman, who was standing just outside of the crease. Eizenman swept the puck past the left side of Eric Leroux (London, ON/Startford) for the goal
After a scoreless second period, the Tigers tied the game 1-1 at 1:02 of the third period. Freshman Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB/Calgary) earned the goal after collecting the rebound of a Lee Jubinville (Edmonton, AB/Camrose) shot. Brandan Kushniruk (Hudson Bay, SK/Nanaimo) was also awarded an assist.which rebounded off Rensselaer goalie
Ornelas put RPI back in front when he took a pass from defenseman Ryan Swanson (Woodbury, MN/Soo Indians) while streaking up the middle of the ice and scored at 7:45 of the third period. Eizenman, who won the face-off to Swanson, earned his second assist of the night. Ornelas added to the Engineers’ lead with his second breakaway, which came under nine minutes later. Leroux initially stopped the puck but it trickled through him and into the net at 16:07. Senior defenseman Keith MCWilliams (Valencia, CA/Omaha Lancers) added an empty-net goal with 48 second left in the game for the final 4-1 margin. Swanson earned his second assist of the night on MCWilliams’s goal.
Rensselaer freshman goaltender Mathias Lange (Klagenfurt, Austria/New York Apple Core) recorded 28 saves in the RPI net, including 17 in the third period, for his fifth win of the season (5-2-1). Leroux made 31 stops for the Tigers.
Rensselaer returns to action on Friday when it travels to Hamilton, N.Y., in a matchup against ECACHL foe Colgate at 7pm. Princeton also returns to action on Friday when it travels to the North Country to face Clarkson at 7pm.
