Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) downed Brown University, 6-5, in an ECAC Hockey League match up at the Houston Field House. The win was spearheaded by two goals and an assist by Kirk MacDonald and 32 saves from Mathias Lange.

The first period was a wild one as four goals were scored – two by each team – and nine penalties were assessed. Brown opened the scoring when Sean Dersch scored shorthanded at 7:16. The goal, which rang off the post and into the net, was originally not allowed but the referee changed course following lengthy discussions with the goal judge and assistant referee. RPI tied the score with a power-play goal by Seth Klerer at 13:34 but Jeff Prough put the visitors back in front with an extra-man goal of his own 2:24 later. MacDonald evened the score at 17:11 when he scored the Engineers’ second power-play goal of the opening frame.

In the second period the Engineers took a two-goal lead with goals from MacDonald and Eric Burgdoerfer. MacDonald crashed the net on Brown goaltender Dan Rosen and the momentum pushed the puck over the line. The referee initially did not call it a goal, but then consulted with the goal judge to ensure it was. Burgdoerfer’s first collegiate goal came 24 seconds later as he took a wrist shot from the blue line that eluded Rosen.

Brown’s Chris Poli scored to cut the deficit, but the Engineers got that goal back on Garett Vassel’s first collegiate goal. Vassel got to a loose rebound of his original shot and slid it slowly into the open net.

In the third period the Engineers padded the cushion to three goals (6-3) with Kevin Broad’s third of the season. Broad was hit with a breakaway pass from Peter Merth and deked goaltender Mark Sibbald, who replaced Rosen to start the third, with a forehand before putting the backhander past him.

A shorthanded goal got the Bears one closer as Prough scored his second of the game after a giveaway brought him in alone on Lange. The Bears then got another goal when Sean McMonagle tipped a shot from Prough past Lange.

The Engineers staved off a late power play by Brown and an extra skater advantage in the last minute for the win.

The Engineers went 2-10 on the power play while Brown went 1-8. Rosen made 12 saves in two periods while Sibbald made 10 saves in the third period and took the loss for Brown.

The Engineers (10-15-8, 5-10-5 ECACHL) hosts Yale where a win can help to get the Engineers a home-ice playoff series in the ECACHL First Round. The Bears (9-13-6, 5-12-4 ECACHL) will travel to Union and try to escape the ECACHL cellar.