Box Score / Highlights / Post-Game Comments

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Sophomore Kevin Sullivan scored two goals, including the game-winner late in the second period and the #8 Union College Dutchmen defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 4-2, in the second game of the best-of-three ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals at Messa Rink.

With the victory the top-seeded Dutchmen improve to 22-7-7 and advance to the league semifinals next Friday in Atlantic City. The 10th-seeded Engineers end their season with a 12-24-3 record.

After RPI had tied the game with a pair of goals late in the second period, Sullivan countered with his fifth of the season to put Union back in front. He then scored in the third period for a two-goal advantage for the home team.

Union went into the locker room after the first period holding a 2-0 lead thanks to goals by Kyle Bodie (East St. Paul, MB/Power River Kings) and Jeremy Welsh (Bayfield, ON/Oakville Blades). Bodie broke the ice when he scored a power play goal from the bottom of the right faceoff circle at 10:14 of the frame. Welsh doubled the lead at 14:03 when he drove the net and knocked in a Daniel Carr (Sherwood Park, AB/Powell River Kings) cross. The goal was the 23rd of the season for Welsh, tying the school's single season mark.

The Engineers had an excellent opportunity to take an early lead when senior Alex Angers-Goulet (St. Augustin, PQ/Langley Chiefs) had a clean breakaway but couldn't get his shot from close range on goal, shooting it wide to the left.

Junior Bryce Merriam (Bethel Park, PA/Topeka RoadRunners) had five first period saves for RPI, while sophomore Troy Grosenick (Brookfield, WI/Cedar Rapids Rough Riders) stopped seven shots in the first.

Grosenick made two outstanding saves five minutes into the second period to keep the Dutchmen ahead by a pair. He then stopped a flurry from in front of his crease three minutes later. Sophomore Brock Higgs (Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyageurs) finally solved the Union netminder when his hard shot deflected over Grosenick's shoulder and across the goal line at 15:03 of the second period. The Engineers tied the score only 1:36 later when freshman Matt Neal (Minesing, ON/Stoufville Spirit) sent a pass to defenseman Mike Bergin (Ottawa, ON/Smiths Falls Bears), who was driving toward the net with RPI on a power play. His pass hit off a Union defenseman and into the goal for his second of the season. Bergin, who also had an assist on the goal by Higgs, picked up one of the assists. Jacob Laliberte (Rockland, ON/Cornwall Colts) had the primary helper.

Union came right back, however, as Sullivan (Darien, CT/Berkshire School) scored on a backhand from close range just 1:01 after the score was tied. Bodie won an offensive zone faceoff back to Shawn Stuart (Calgary, AB/Victoria Grizzlies), who sent the puck toward the net.

Sullivan made it a two-goal advantage for the Dutchmen when he scored on a rebound of a Bodie shot at 5:58 of the third period. The goal was his sixth of the season.

Merriam finished with 20 saves for RPI, while Grosenick stopped 27 shots for Union.