Box Score

Troy, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) came away from it’s home opener with a 4-4 overtime tie against Boston University, the third-ranked team in the nation, in a non-league Division I men’s hockey game before a sold out crowd of 5,152 at the Houston Field House.

The Engineers got a goal and two assists from Jake Luthi (Palmer, Alaska/Sioux Falls Stampede), three assists from Jonathan Ornelas (Mississauga, ON/Milton Icehawks) and two assists from captain Kirk MacDonald (Victoria, B.C./Victoria Salsa) in the tie.

The Terriers broke out on top just 55 seconds into the contest when the puck deflected off the skate of sophomore left wing Brandon Yip (Maple Ridge, BC/Coquitlam Express), who was stationed just outside the left side of the crease. Chris Higgins (Lynnfield, MA/New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs) and Jason Lawrence (Saugus, MA/U.S. National Under-18) earned the assists on the goal.

Rensselaer needed just 20 seconds to tie the game as junior Tyler Eaves (Queensbury, NY/Shattuck-St. Mary’s) scored from down low. Off of an intial shot from the point by Luthi and then an Ornelas redirection, Eaves found the puck and lifted it over BU goalie John Curry (Shorewood, MN/Taft School).

RPI quickly made it 2-1 when Paul Kerins (Weston, ON/North York Rangers) took a shot from the point that MacDonald deflected. Jake Morissette (Fruitvale, B.C./Williams Lake Timberwolves) was there for the rebound, which he also put over Curry. The Engineers made it 3-1 later in the period when Luthi came down low on a four-on-three power play. Luthi snuck in and got a rebound off of a MacDonald shot that went past Curry.

BU got one closer in the second period on the power play. Luke Popko (Skillman, NJ/US National Under-18) took a shot from the high slot that rebounded to Chris Higgins (Linfield, MA/New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs) who then redirected it past Lange. The Terriers then tied it up at 3-3 in the third period. Quick passing led to Steve Slominsky (Plymouth, MA/Salisbury School) putting it past Lange.

Later in the period the Engineers got a power-play goal from Oren Eizenman (Toronto, ON/Wexford Raiders). Eizenman got a rebound of Ornelas’ initial shot and put it past a sliding Curry.

BU got the goal back just 1:18 later when Higgins went down the right side an slid a shot that fooled Lange and went of the inside of his pads and into the net to finish the scoring.

Lange made 17 saves for the Engineers while Curry made 33 saves on the night. The Engineers wound up 2-13 on the power play and BU was 1-7.

RPI is back in action next weekend for a two-game set at the University of Denver. Friday night’s game is at 9:30pm (eastern) while Saturday’s game begins at 9pm (eastern). BU plays host to UMass Lowell in a Hockey East contest on Friday night at 7pm.