Box Score Box Score / Watch Game

TROY, N.Y. - The University of Connecticut overcame a three-goal deficit, including the tying goal in the final seconds of regulation, to force a 4-4 tie with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a non-league women's ice hockey game at the Houston Field House. With the draw, the Huskies are now 0-1-1, while the Engineers are 0-0-1.

Down by a goal with the goalie on the bench for an extra attacker and on a power play, the Huskies won an offensive zone faceoff and got a left point shot. Sophomore Rachel Farrel (Cheshire, CT/Westminster School), who took the draw, found the rebound and scored with just 35 seconds left in the third period. Kelly Horan (Methuen, MA/Lawrence Academy), who took the shot from the point, earned the only assist for UConn, which trailed by three goals early in the second period.

The comeback by the Huskies overshadowed a night in which Rensselaer saw three different freshmen account for its four goals, plus another earn an assist. Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA/Washington Pride) scored twice for Rensselaer.

The Engineers got on the board with two goals in the first period, the first by Gruschow. The center scored the first goal of her career when she collected the rebound of a Jordan Smelker (Anchorage, AK/Team Alaska 19U) shot and beat the goaltender from the right faceoff circle. Smelker, who carried the puck into the offensive zone and had the initial shot from her stomach, earned the only assist on the goal, which came at the 13:51 mark.

Freshman Mari Mankey (Coon Rapids, MN/Hopkins HS) doubled the lead with just 20 seconds left in the opening frame when she scored on a rebound of an Eleeza Cox (St. Catharines, ON/Ridley College) shot. Junior Toni Sanders (York, PA/Susquehanna Rapids 19U) had the secondary assist.

Gruschow made it 3-0 just 3:16 into the second period on a one-timer slap shot with the Engineers on the power play. Smelker and Ali Svoboda (Arlington Heights, IL/Chicago Mission) had the assists. UConn cut the deficit to two goals 8:11 later when freshman Brittany Berisoff (Kelowna, BC/Notre Dame Academy) scored her first collegiate goal after sustained pressure by the Huskies. Sarah MacDonnell (Quispamsis, NB/Brewster Academy) and Emily Snodgrass (Eagan, MN/Eastview) had the assists.

RPI got the goal back when Lauren Wash (Belle Mead, NJ/New Jersey Rockets), another freshman, scored at 14:48 of the second period from right outside of the crease. Freshman Brandi Banks (Burlington, ON/Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) drove the puck into the zone between the circles and saw her heavy shot saved but not controlled. However, MacDonnell slipped a shot over Rensselaer netminder Brianna Piper (Oakville, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) at 16:10 for a two-goal deficit, 4-2, after two periods. Michela Cava (Thunder Bay, ON/Thunder Bay) stole the puck in the RPI offensive zone and fed MacDonnell, who notched her first of the season.

Snodgrass pulled the visitors to within one goal at 13:19 when a perfectly placed wrist shot into the upper right corner of the net as a UConn power play was expiring. Farrel and Horan had the assists.

The Engineers had the better of the scoring opportunities in the overtime, including a drive by Smelker at the bottom of the right faceoff circle with approximately a minute remaining, but UConn goalie Elaine Chuli (Waterford, ON/Stoney Creek) made a pad save.

Chuli finished with 39 saves, while Piper had 21 saves for RPI, which hosts UConn again on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.