Box Score / Print Media Coverage

DETROIT, Mich. – Sophomore Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) made 43 saves, including 19 in the third period, and freshman Marty O'Grady (London, ON/Wellington Dukes) notched the eventual game-winning goal in that frame to lead the Rensselaer men's hockey team to a 4-3 victory over the University of Michigan in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena.

With the win the Engineers improve to 10-9-1 overall, while the Wolverines fall to 9-10-0. RPI faces Michigan State in the tournament final on Wednesday night at 7:36pm in a game to be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net Detroit. Michigan takes on Michigan Tech in the third place game at 4:06pm.

After Michigan fought back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the score midway through the third period on goals from Carl Hagelin (Sodertalje, Sweden) and Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, MI), O'Grady put Rensselaer up for good just 46 seconds later. Carrying the puck up the right wing boards, O'Grady roofed a shot over the left shoulder of Wolverines back-up netminder Shawn Hunwick (Sterling Heights, MI) for the 4-3 lead.

York made it stand, in part by stopping 29 shots in the final 40 minutes of play. Michigan starting netminder Bryan Hogan (Highland, MI) made six saves before being replaced by Hunwick to begin the third period.

RPI junior Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 2:01 of the opening frame, when he redirected a Paul Kerins (Weston, ON/North York Rangers) shot past Hogan. Freshman Brandon Pirri (Toronto, ON/Georgetown Raiders) picked up the second assist on Polacek's team-leading 13th goal of the season.

A second man-advantage tally by Polacek, with just 6.5 seconds to go in the first period, gave Rensselaer a 2-0 lead. Polacek fired through the screen of classmate Joel Malchuk (Brandon, MB/Dauphin Kings) from the left point and inside the left post. Helpers went to Pirri and Kerins once again.

York made a pair of point-blank saves in the first – 15 in all – to keep the Wolverines off the scoreboard. RPI was 2 for 3 on the power-play through 20 minutes, while Michigan went 0 for 1.

Michigan sophomore David Wohlberg (South Lyon, MI) netted his third goal of the year to pull the Wolverines to within 2-1 at 13:26 of the second period. Freshman A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, MI) won the puck along the boards and sent a pass to Wohlberg, who was all alone in the slot. Wohlberg deked York and tallied.

Just over three minutes later Kerins pushed the RPI lead back to two (3-1) when he skated into the Wolverines' zone and wristed a shot off Hogan's glove and into the net. Kerins' sixth marker of the season was assisted by freshman CJ Lee (Staten Island, NY/Green Bay Gamblers) and junior Jeff Foss (Moorhead, MN/Moorhead).

The Engineers finished 2 for 4 on the power-play, while the Wolverines went 1 for 8.