TROY, N.Y. – Seniors Grant Opperman and Troy Crema each netted a pair of goals to lead the Dartmouth College men's hockey team to a 4-2 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), on Saturday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Big Green improve to 6-9-3 overall (3-5-2 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 4-20-1 (2-11-0 ECAC Hockey).

Opperman (Wayzata, MN/Tri-City Storm) buried a shot from between the circles to give the Big Green a 1-0 lead at 3:51 of the first period. Juniors Corey Kalk (Maple, ON/North York Rangers) and Carl Hesler (Boxborough, MA/West Kelowna Warriors) picked up the assists.

Rensselaer pulled even at 17:35 of the opening frame, when junior defenseman Mike Prapavessis (Oakville, ON/Toronto Patriots) found a streaking Patrick Polino (Buffalo, NY/Lincoln Stars) for his second goal in as many nights.

Following a scoreless second period in which each team recorded 11 shots, the visitors struck first in the third. Opperman finished off a power play chance from freshmen Clay Han (Liberty Township, OH/Boston Jr. Bruins) and Daniel Warpecha (Willow Springs, IL/Sioux Falls Stampede) for a 2-1 at 10:46 of the frame.

Crema (Toronto, ON/Hamilton Red Wings) made it a 3-1 game, when he tipped home a shot from the blue line by sophomore Connor Yau (Algonquin, IL/Youngstown Phantoms) at 14:38. Han earned the secondary assist.

RPI freshman Jacob Hayhurst (Missassauga, ON/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) made it a one-goal game (3-2) once again, firing a shot past Dartmouth junior goalie Devin Buffalo (Wetaskiwin, AB/Drumheller Dragons) for his seventh goal of the year. The power play tally drew assists from Prapavessis and sophomore Evan Tironese (Qualicum Beach, BC/Alberni Valley Bulldogs).

Just 45 seconds later, Crema added an empty-netter for a 4-2 lead with 2:09 to play. Kalk and freshman Cam Strong (Billings, MT/Topeka RoadRunners) earned the assists.

Buffalo finished with 31 saves, while RPI sophomore Chase Perry (Andover, MN/Wenatchee Wild) had 36 at the other end of the ice. Both teams went 2 for 7 on the power play.       

The Engineers return to the ice on Thursday, when they take on No. 11 Union College in the Fifth Annual Maryor's Cup at the Times Union Center (7pm). Dartmouth hosts Harvard on Tuesday (7:05pm).