PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rensselaer men’s hockey team scored two goals in the last two minutes, leading it to a, 2-1, comeback victory over Brown, Friday night at Meehan Auditorium. With the win the Engineers improve to 11-20-4 overall and 6-12-3 in ECAC Hockey play. The Bears fall to 5-19-4 overall and 5-13-3 in the league.

Peter Merth (New Westminster, BC) tied the game at 1-1, with 2:04 to go in the third period. His shot through a screen beat Brown netminder Dan Rosen (Syosset, NY). Junior Matt Angers-Goulet (St. Augustin, PQ), who fed the puck over to Merth, recorded the lone assist.

Just 31 seconds later, a Scott Halpern (Boca Raton, FL) centering pass deflected off the skate of a Brown defenseman and past Rosen to give RPI the lead. Chase Polacek (Edina, MN) and Merth had assists.

In a first period in which neither team created many offensive opportunities, Brown outshot Rensselaer seven to six. The two schools took a scoreless draw into the first intermission.

The second period produced more of the same, with the Engineers penalty kill helping keep the game scoreless. RPI converted 4-of-4 shorthanded situations in the first two periods. Mathias Lange (Klagenfurt, Austria) made 17 saves in the second.

Brown scored the first goal of the game less than a minute into the third period. Ryan Garbutt (Winnipeg, MAN) finished on the power-play to put the Bear ahead 1-0. Devin Timberlake (Port Alberni, BC) and Jeff Prough (Farmington Hills, MI) picked up the helpers.

 

Lange finished with 32 saves for Rensselaer, while Rosen finished with 22 stops.

The Engineers return to action on Saturday night at Yale (5:30pm).  The game could very well be a preview of a first-round ECAC Hockey playoff matchup.  Below are each of the different scenarios for RPI.

 

*RPI wins - RPI plays Yale

*RPI ties, the only game that matters is Colgate-Dartmouth:
Colgate W - RPI plays Yale
Colgate T - RPI plays Yale
Colgate L - RPI plays Colgate

*RPI loses and SLU loses or ties:
Colgate W - RPI plays Yale
Colgate L - RPI plays Colgate
Colgate T and Quinnipiac W or T - RPI plays Colgate
Colgate T and Quinnipiac L - RPI plays Yale

*RPI loses and SLU wins
Colgate T or L - RPI plays Yale
Colgate W and Quinnipiac W - RPI plays Colgate
Colgate W and Quinnipiac T or L - RPI plays Quinnipiac