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TROY, N.Y. – Cayley Mercer scored a goal and recorded an assist to lead No. 10 Clarkson University to a 2-1 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in ECAC Hockey action on Friday evening at Houston Field House. The Engineers drop to 5-20-4 overall, with a 3-13-1 mark in league play. The Golden Knights improve to 18-8-3 and 12-3-2.
 
Clarkson got on the board first at 5:58 of the first period, on its first shot on goal. After an RPI turnover in front of its own net, the puck was collected by Mercer (Exeter, ON / Bluewater Jr. Hawks), who pushed it past Engineers senior goaltender Kelly O'Brien (Sussex, WI / Madison Capitols). Renata Fast (Burlington, ON / Burlington Jr. Barracudas) was credited with the lone assist. RPI outshot the Golden Knights, 12-5, in the period, but Clarkson held the one-goal lead into the first intermission.
 
RPI picked up a penalty early in the second period, but only had to kill off 12 seconds before Clarkson was also called for a penalty. The Golden Knights took control offensively in the 4-on-4, but O'Brien stopped two big opportunities to maintain the 1-0 score.

Late in the period, the Engineers were called for a five minute major and game misconduct, but won the ensuing faceoff. Junior Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicsburg, PA / Washington Pride) picked up the puck and skated into the Clarkson zone alone, flipping the puck over Shea Tiley's (Owen Sound, ON / KW Rangers) pads to tie the game at the 18:17 mark.
 
The Golden Knights came out firing in the third period, as Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, IL / Boston Shamrocks U19) scored on the major power play goal just 54 seconds in. Harmon took assists from Christine Lambert (Thetford Mines, PQ / Ontario Hockey Academy) and Mercer.
 
RPI had a 5-on-3 later in the third period and got off several solid shots, but were unable to capitalize. Clarkson then got called for a penalty with just 2:07 to play, and the Engineers pulled O'Brien for the extra skater, but a penalty by the Engineers negated the majority of the advantage. RPI continued to control the action in its offensive zone, but the Golden Knights held until the final horn.
 
RPI outshot the Golden Knights, 28-25, holding the edge in all but the second period. Clarkson held a 31-25 advantage in faceoff wins. Tiley made 27 saves, while O'Brien stopped 23 shots, including 11 in the second period.
 
Rensselaer returns to action on Saturday, hosting No. 8 St. Lawrence at 4pm. Clarkson also continues ECAC Hockey play on Saturday, visiting Union College at 4pm.