HAMDEN, Conn. – Karlis Cukste assisted all three goals to lead the Quinnipiac University men's hockey team to a 3-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), on Saturday night at People's United Center. With the win, the Bobcats improve to 6-4-1 overall (2-1-1 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 4-5-1 (2-3-1 ECAC Hockey).

RPI struck first just 1:10 in the contest, when senior captain Will Reilly snapped home his team-leading fifth goal of the season from the right circle. Classmate Mike Gornall and freshman Rory Herrman collected the assists on the play, with Herrman picking up his first collegiate point on the play.

Alex Whalen quickly pulled the hosts even at 2:18 of the opening frame, tipping home a shot from Cukste for his first goal of the year. A secondary assist went to Wyatt Bongiovanni.

Quinnipiac took the lead for good two minutes later on William Fallstrom's first goal of the year. Zach Metsa's shot from the blue caromed hard off the end wall to Fallstrom, who was waiting at the left side of the net for an easy tap in. Cukste was credited with the second assist on the goal.

Odeen Tufto then capped the scoring in the contest at just 14:28 of the first, converting on a breakaway after skating through a check at the RPI blue line. The tally was Tufto's first on the season, with helpers to Whalen and Cukste.

Rensselaer put the clamps on the Bobcats over the final two periods, allowing a total of 11 shots over the final 40 minutes of the game, but could not inch closer.

It appeared as though the Engineers had pulled to within a goal with under seven minutes to play, but Mike Gornall stuff attempt at the left side of the crease was waved off by the officials.

Keith Petruzzelli (2-1-1) finished with 23 saves to pick up the win between the pipes, while Owen Savory (3-4-1) took the loss, stopping 17 over the first 20 minutes. Junior Linden Marshall came on in relief to start the second and was perfect on the 11 shots he faced.

RPI went 0 for 4 on the power play, including a long 5-on-3 chance late in the third, while the Bobcats wound up 0 for 3.

The Engineers return to action on Friday, when they host No. 13 Harvard University at the Houston Field House (7pm) before travel to Canisius College on Saturday (7:35pm).