Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. – Behind a 23-save effort by Sonja van der Bliek and a goal and an assist from Kendra Dunlop, the Rensselaer women's hockey team skated to a 2-2 against Princeton in the ECAC Hockey opener for both teams. The Tigers are now 1-1-1, while the Engineers move to 2-4-3 on the season.

van der Bliek helped lead RPI to the draw, stopping nine shots in the first period, 10 in the second stanza, three in third frame and one in the overtime session. Princeton's Cassie Seguin finished with 19 saves, including five in the first, seven in the second, six in the third and one in OT.

Princeton and Rensselaer traded goals twice in an offensive first period. Freshman Kelly Cooke scored her third goal of the season off the rush less than five minutes into the contest when she netted her third of the season from classmate Alex Kinney and junior Laura Martindale.

The Engineers answered in the 15th minute of the period when Jill Vandegrift scored from the doorstep with a shot that ducked inside the far upper corner of the net. Dunlop assisted on the goal.

The teams then traded power play goals in the 17th minute of the game as the teams scored 31 seconds apart. Princeton struck first when senior Maddie Endicott scored with a blast from the point four seconds into a power play. Sophomore Julie Johnson won the faceoff back to Martindale on the left point, who fed Endicott for the score.

RPI countered quickly as Dunlop evened the score at 2-2. Just after a Princeton penalty, Dunlop had two swipes at the rebound of a Janessa Haller shot and put the second one in, knocking the rebound out of the air for the goal. Sydney O'Keefe also had an assist.

That goal capped the scoring as the goaltenders took charge in the second and third periods and overtime.

Princeton is back on the ice on Saturday when it hosts Union at 4pm.  The Engineers head to Quinnipiac for a 4pm tilt with the Bobcats.