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TROY, N.Y. – Freshman forward Brock Higgs (Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyageurs) tapped in the game-winning goal at 2:10 of overtime to lift the Rensselaer men's hockey team to a, 4-3, victory over Niagara University, in front of 4,151 at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Engineers improve to 3-1-2, while the Purple Eagles fall to 0-2-2.

Midway through overtime, senior captain John Kennedy (Saginaw, MI/St. Louis Bandits) made a strong effort to keep the puck in offensive zone, before whipping a shot on goal. The rebound came off the chest of Niagara freshman netminder Carsen Chubak (Prince Albert, SA/Tri-City Storm) and fell to the right side of the net, where a crashing Higgs was able to stick home for the game-winner.

Trailing by two goals (3-1) with under seven minutes to play in regulation time, the Purple Eagles stormed back scoring two power-play goals in a span of 1:56. Sophomore Giancarlo Iuorio (Richmond Hills, ON/Markham Waxers) back-handed in a rebound off a shot from the left point by classmate C.J. Chartrain (Pointe-Claire, PQ/Pickering Panthers) to make it 3-2.

Niagara netted the game-tying goal at 15:13 of the third on a tip-in by senior Paul Zanette (Nobleton, ON/Aurora Tigers). Classmate David Ross (Bowmanville, ON/Bowmanville Eagles) took a shot from the right point that Zanette neatly re-directed past RPI junior goaltender Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) from the low slot. Fellow senior Ryan Annesley (Ajax, ON/Pickering Panthers) picked up the second assist.

Junior forward Alex Angers-Goulet (St. Augustin, AB/Langley Chiefs) put the Engineers up 1-0 at 12:08 of the first period, when his stuff-in attempt at the right side the Niagara cage snuck past Chubak and just over the goal line. Senior Joel Malchuk (Brandon, MB/Dauphin Kings) earned the lone assist on Angers-Goulet's first of the season.

RPI junior Josh Rabbani (Woodland Hills, CA/St. Louis Bandits) extended the host's lead to 2-0, when he buried a point-blank chance off a pass by Higgs. The play started at the left point, where sophomore Nick Bailen (Fredonia, NY/Indiana Ice) found Higgs all alone at the right side of the crease. Higgs redirected the puck along the goal line for Rabbani to finish.

Niagara pulled to within 2-1 on a power-play goal by freshman Scott Arnold (Pointe-Claire, PQ/Brockville Braves) at 2:57 of the third period. Arnold took a feed from Ross in the middle of the slot and wristed a shot, off the left pipe and in, for his second of the year.

Rensselaer senior Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) answered 2:08 later to give the Engineers back their two-goal lead. Classmate Tyler Helfrich (Calgary, AB/Prince George Spruce Kings) threw the puck on goal, before Polacek picked up the rebound at the left of cage and flipped in his third tally of the season.

York finished with 34 saves, while Chubak ended up with 32 stops at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers are back in action on Saturday, when they take on Union College in the Lake Placid Showcase (4pm). Niagara hosts Mercyhurst on Friday (7:05pm).