Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 4 Colorado College Tigers scored three goals in the third period, including the game-winning goal with 7.6 seconds remaining, to come-from-behind and defeat the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team, 3-2, in the first round of the Lightning College Hockey Classic at the St. Pete Times Forum. RPI, the 17th-ranked team in the , falls to 8-8-3 while CC improves to 12-5-0.

Stephen Schultz got the game-winning tally when he deflected a Nate Prosser pass just under the crossbar. Brian Connelly also assisted on the play. The Engineers scored twice in the second period for a 2-0 lead after two.

Sophomore Paul Kerins tallied a 5-on-3 goal 28 seconds into the period and senior Jake Morissette scored on a breakaway at the 11:12 mark. Kerins notched his goal, his fourth of the season, when he took a cross-crease pass from freshman Tyler Helfrich and scored into the top of the net. Chase Polacek, another freshman, was credited with the secondary assist. Helfrich set up RPI’s second goal when he sent Morissette in alone. Morissette backhanded a shot over Colorado College goaltender Richard Bachman for his sixth goal of the year.

The Tigers cut the deficit in half early in the third period on a goal by Jimmy Kilpatrick, who scored over the left shoulder of netminder Mathias Lange from close range. Andreas Vlassopoulos earned the assist. Kilpatrick tied the game at 16:21 when he scored from the high slot into the top left corner. Eric Walsky and Prosser set up the goal.

Bachman finished with 16 saves, including numerous outstanding stops, to earn the win. Lange had 18 saves for RPI.

The Engineers take on No. 6 Notre Dame in the third place game on Sunday at 5:05pm. The Tigers battle No. 9 Massachusetts, who defeated the Irish, 4-3, in the championship game at 8:05pm.