WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team scored a power play and shorthanded goal in tying Army West Point, 3-3, on Sunday afternoon at Tate Rink. The Engineers, while never trailed in the game, are now 9-11-3 overall, while the Black Knights move to 7-8-3.

RPI turned in the first two chances of the game, with sophomore Jack Brackett driving the net from the right wing, where his stuff attempt was kept out by Army goaltender Gavin Abric.

Eight minutes into the period, graduate student Anthony Baxter saw his shot from the right point make its way through a screen, but Abric was able to stop it and a rebound chance as well.

The Black Knights had their best chance midway through the opening frame, but Colin Bilek was denied by RPI graduate student Linden Marshall on a point-blank chance, after receiving a pass from the left corner.

Junior defenseman Simon Kjellberg helped the Engineers capitalize on their first power play of the game, when he ripped home a shot from the blue line for a 1-0 lead at 15:38 of the first. Assists on Kjellberg's fifth goal of the season went to senior captain Ture Linden and sophomore John Beaton.

RPI made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal, just 2:28 later. Senior Ottoville Leppanen stole the puck in the neutral zone and handed it off to sophomore Jakob Lee at the blue line. Lee walked and fired past Abric for the Engineers' second special teams marker of the contest.

A scoreless second period saw the hosts hold a narrow 13-10 shot advantage. RPI was able to kill of an early penalty in the frame and had two late-period opportunities to add to its lead, but were denied by Abric.

Army drew to within 2-1 at 9:26 of the third on a shot from the left circle by Marshal Plunkett. The man advantage tally drew helpers from Daniel Haider and Joey Baez.

RPI answered less than 30 seconds later, when Leppanen swatted home the rebound of a shot from the left side by Linden. Junior Rory Herrman collected the secondary assist on Leppanen's sixth tally of the year.

Bilek made it a one-goal game again (3-2) at 14:20, scoring on a tight-angle shot from the corner. Mitch Machlitt and Thomas Farrell were credited with the assists on Bilek's seventh of the campaign.
Army pulled even with 2:45 left in regulation, when Haider stuck home a rebound after a scramble in front of the RPI net.

After killing a penalty in the extra session, Baxter had the best chance to win the game for RPI, but his shot from the middle of the slot went wide with 2:45 remaining. Linden and Ryan Mahshie each had attempts on goal with a minute left, but both were stopped by Abric.

Marshall (8-10-2) finished with 39 saves, including 13 in the second period alone. Abric (7-6-2) had 26 stops at the other end of the ice. RPI went 1 for 1 on the power play, while the Black Knights were 1 for 4.

The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they resume ECAC Hockey play at No. 19 Harvard and Dartmouth on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Army hosts Canisius for two next weekend.