Box Score Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Sophomore Mark McGowan scored the eventual game-winning goal late in the third period to lift the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team to a, 4-3, victory over 16th-ranked St. Cloud State University, this evening in non-conference play from the National Hockey & Event Center. With the win, the Engineers improve to 5-6-4, while the Huskies drop to 11-8-0.

Trailing 2-0 after one period, the Engineers scored three times to take a 3-2 lead. Sophomore Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, CT/U.S. National Development Team) picked out the top right corner of the net, 1:49 into the frame to pull the visitors within 2-1. Freshman Mike Zalewski (New Hartford, NY/Vernon Vipers) earned the first of his three assists on the night, while junior Bo Dolan (St. Paul, MN/Penticton Vees) earned the second helper.

Freshman Milos Bubela (Banska Bystrica/Slovakia) then netted two straight to put the Engineers up 3-2. His first came at 6:10 of the second stanza, when he ripped a shot from the high slot past St. Cloud State sophomore goaltender Ryan Faragher (Fort Frances, ON), over his left shoulder.

Bubela then gave RPI the lead, less than three minutes later, as his redirection of a point shot by sophomore defenseman Curtis Leonard (Napanee, ON/Wellington Dukes) found its way past Faragher, to put the visitors ahead, 3-2.

Huskies junior Cory Thorson (Crystal, MN) evened the game at 3-3, 12:33 into the third period. Freshman Jimmy Murray (Darien, IL) led an odd-man break into the RPI zone before finding classmate Joey Benik (Andover, MN). Benik then fed Thorson, who was all alone at the side of the cage for his sixth of the season.

McGowan (Toronto, ON/Oakville Blades) broke the tie with 2:12 remaining when he carried the puck into the slot from the right circle and fired a low shot that beat Faragher five-hole. Assists went to senior captain CJ Lee (Staten Island, NY/Green Bay Gamblers) and classmate Marty O'Grady (London, ON/Wellington Dukes).

The hosts scored two late first-period goals to take a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission. Freshmen Jonny Brodzinski (Ham Lake, MN) and Kalle Kossila (Kaunianinen, Finland) tallied their eighth and 11th goals of the year, respectively, within a three minute span in the opening frame.

RPI sophomore Scott Diebold (Buffalo, NY/Tri-City Storm) came on in relief of freshman Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, MB/Des Moines Buccaneers) late in the second period and stopped 8 of 9 shots to pick up the victory. Kasdorf made 11 saves, while Faragher stopped 17 in defeat.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow night for game two of the series. Puck-drop is scheduled for 8:07pm.