Box Score / Highlights / Print Media

TROY, N.Y. - Senior goaltender Austin Lee stopped all 36 shots he faced and classmate Cameron Cooper scored the game's only goal with just 1:22 remaining in the third period as Minnesota State defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 1-0, in a non-league game at Houston Field House.  The game was the season opener for both teams.

Lee (Bloomington, MN/Fargo-Moorhead) was outstanding throughout, stopping 11 shots in the first period, eight in the second and 17 in the third.  His saves also came in a variety of situations, including a clean breakaway, goal mouth scrambles and point shots.

Cooper (Lakeville, MN/Tri-City Storm), a defenseman, ended the scoreless tie late in the third period when he buried a rebound of a point blank shot by Eriah Hayes (LaCrescent, MN/Waterloo) for only goal of the game.  Following an RPI turnover with both teams skating four aside, RPI netminder Scott Diebold (Buffalo, NY/Tri-City Storm) made the initial save on Hayes, but the rebound lay on the ice for Cooper, who scored the fifth goal of his career.

The Engineers had numerous chances to grab the lead, including early in the first period when junior Nick Bailen (Fredonia, NY/Indiana Ice) sent sophomore Brock Higgs (Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyaguers) through on a breakaway.  The backhanded try by Higgs was stopped by the left pad of Lee.

Diebold, a freshman, turned away a breakaway opportunity midway through third period to keep the game scoreless.  He finished with 19 saves.

The Engineers outshot the Mavericks, 36-20, including a 17-7 edge in the third period.  RPI was aided by the fact that it had 11 power play chances.  Minnesota State had six power play opportunities.

The same two teams square off on Saturday night at 7pm at Houston Field House.