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TROY, N.Y. - Brown University jumped out to a 3-0 lead and the Bears held off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 3-2, to win the third and final game of ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals series at Houston Field House. Brown improves to 15-13-6 and advances to the league's championship weekend in Atlantic City next weekend. RPI, which held a 42-17 edge in shots in the game, falls to 18-14-5.

The Bears broke out to a 2-0 lead, scoring twice within 50 seconds midway through the frame. Skating 4x4, Bears junior Jake Goldberg (Langhorne, PA) took a pass from Chris Zaires (Aberdeen, NJ), skated toward the net down the right side and snapped off a shot that deflected off the glove of RPI netminder Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, MB / Des Moines Buccaneers) and into the net. Under a minute later, while still skating 4x4, Brown's Matt Lorito (Oakville, ON), the team's leading scorer, picked up a loose puck during a scramble in front and patiently found open space and lifted the puck under the crossbar for his 20th goal of the season. Freshman Nick Lappin (Geneva, IL) had an assist on the play, which came at 11:46.

Senior Anthony Borelli (Grand Island, NY) was outstanding in goal for Brown in the first period, stopping several high-end Rensselaer opportunities. He had 16 saves, while Kasdorf stopped seven first period shots.

Brown increased its lead to three goals at 5:06 of the second period when Lappin finished an odd-man rush up the ice, scoring from the left hashmarks of the right faceoff circle, snapping a shot into the top part of the net. Classmate Mark Naclerio (Milford, CT) fed the puck across the ice to earn the primary assist, while Lorito had the secondary.

RPI pulled to within 3-1 at 13:25 when sophomore Mark McGowan (Toronto, ON / Oakville Blades) jammed in a loose puck off a scramble in front. Freshman Mike Zalewski (New Hartford, NY / Vernon Vipers) made it a one-goal game at 19:13 when he deflected a Chris Bradley (Williamsville, NY / Youngstown Phantoms) left point drive. It is the third straight game the Engineers have scored in the final minute of the second period.

The Engineers applied tremendous pressure throughout the third period, outshooting the Bears 13-4, but Borelli and his teammates kept the tying goal out of the net. 

Borelli, who was pulled in the second game of the series, a 6-2 RPI victory, finished with 40 stops. Kasdorf stopped 14 shots for RPI, which played without its top defenseman and top scorer Nick Bailen (Fredonia, NY / Indiana Ice), who was injured on Saturday night.