TROY, N.Y. - Down a man for nearly the whole second half of the final period, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) sophomore goaltender Jack Watson kept the puck out of the net and put up a season-high 41 saves in a 2-1 victory over the University of Vermont at the Houston Field House in non-league action.
 
After both sides nearly played a scoreless first period, a late RPI penalty put the Catamounts on the power play. Vermont would convert on the opportunity, with Jacques Bouquot scoring on a tipped puck in front of the net from a shot from the blue line with just over two minutes remaining. The Catamounts took that 1-0 lead into the locker room and held onto it throughout most of the second period.
 
The Engineers broke through with their first goal with 3:08 to play in the second, as freshman Sutter Muzzatti scored his first collegiate goal to even things up at 1-1. Muzzatti sat on the door step, and had a rebound come right to him after a shot from Nick Strom that he finished in the top right corner.
 
With the score even into the third period, Watson stepped up and shined, making 25 of his 41 saves of the game in the final frame.
 
Senior TJ Walsh scored the go-ahead goal with 12:21 to play in the third, as the Engineers took advantage of a 5-on-3 opportunity. Walsh took a slap shot from the right wing circle on a pass from Lauri Sertti that found the upper right corner to give RPI the 2-1 lead.
 
As the game eclipsed the midway point of the third period, the Engineers took a penalty and stayed on the penalty kill for a majority of the remaining minutes. RPI also faced a 5-on-3 that turned into a 6-on-3 advantage late after the Catamounts pulled their goalie with 1:35 to play in regulation. Watson hung strong, making 18 saves in the final nine minutes of play to secure the win.
 
It is the fourth 40-plus save game in Watson's career, while Walsh scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season. RPI's 42 shots were also a season-high as a team.
 
The Engineers return to action next Friday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. when they hit the ice in Hamden to take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats in ECAC Hockey action.