NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite holding a 1-1 tie into the final minute of the second period, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team surrendered three unanswered goals as they fell to the Yale Bulldogs by a final score of 4-1 at Ingalls Rink Friday night. With the loss, RPI falls to 8-13-1 overall and 3-8-0 in ECAC Hockey, while Yale improves to 3-10-3 and 2-8-1 in ECAC Hockey play.
 
Yale opened the scoring in the first period on the power play, notching the ice-breaking goal at the 11:59 mark. Connor Sullivan was the culprit, scoring on a wrist shot from the blue line that rang off the right post and in the net to give Yale the 1-0 lead.
 
The Engineers tied things up early in the second period, as senior captain Kyle Hallbauer took a slap shot from the blue line that was tipped out front by James McIssac. The puck made its way into the net for McIssac's second goal of the season, tying the game at 1-1. Freshman Sutter Muzzatti was also credited with an assist, giving him nine straight games with a point.
 
The Bulldogs then pulled away, getting their go-ahead goal with 24 seconds remaining in the second period. After a faceoff to Jack Watson's right was won by Yale, they cycled the puck back to the blue line, where Briggs Gammell took a wrist shot that Brandon Tabakin deflected into the net to give the Bulldogs the 2-1 lead heading into the final frame. Niklas Allain also earned an assist on the play.
 
Yale extended their lead in the third period, scoring seconds apart at the 10:28 and 11:08 marks to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. Reilly Connors scored the first one of the period off a turnover by RPI in their own defensive zone, as Connors picked up the puck and wristed a shot into the upper left corner of the net.
 
Quinton Ong then scored on a backhanded shot from the right wing circle that made it's way in. Ian Carpentier assisted on Connors' goal, while Michael Young and Cole Donhauser assisted on Ong's tally.
 
RPI's Jack Watson made 24 saves on the evening in the loss, while Luke Pearson made 26 saves for Yale. Austin Heidemann led the Engineers in shots on goal with four on frame.
 
The Engineers return to the ice tomorrow, Saturday, January 14 at 7 p.m. when they take on the Brown Bears in ECAC Hockey Action on the road in Providence.