Box Score |

TROY, N.Y. – Junior forward Josh Balch scored the early in the first period and the goal stood as the game-winner as the 13th-ranked Yale men's hockey team defeated Rensselaer, 2-0, this evening in the ECAC Hockey home opener for the Engineers (1-9-0; 0-3-0 ECACH). The Bulldogs are now 3-1-1 overall (2-1-0 ECACH).

Balch (Wilmette, IL) picked off pass at the RPI blue line, leading to a 3-on-1 break for the Bulldogs. Balch deked to his left before slipping the puck around Engineers' junior netminder Bryce Merriam (Bethel Park, PA/Topeka Road Runners) for his first of the season. The eventual game-winning tally, which was unassisted, came at 1:51 of the first..

Rensselaer had a number of chances to tie the score in the second and third periods, but couldn't find a way past Yale junior goaltender Jeff Malcolm (Lethbridge, AB), who made 27 saves to earn the shutout. Merriam finished with 27 saves at the other end of the ice.

Yale added an insurance goal at 18:21 of the third, on a power-play goal by sophomore Clinton Bourbonais (Colchester, CT). After a wrap-around try by sophomore Kenny Agostino (Flanders, NJ) was stopped by Merriam, Bourbonais picked up the rebound and flipped it over the sprawling RPI goalie for his second of the season. Junior Anthony Laganiere (Ile Cadieux, PQ) earned the second assist.

RPI finished 0 for 6 on the power-play, while the Bulldogs ended up, 1 for 3. The loss for the Engineers was the first on a "Black Friday," dropping their record to 6-1-1 in those games.

The Engineers are in action tomorrow night, when they host Brown at the Houston Field House (7pm). Yale visits ninth-ranked Union tomorrow night (7pm).