TROY, N.Y. – Junior goaltender Jack Watson collected 37 saves and sophomore John Evans added two points as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team took home a 2-1 victory over the Brown Bears in ECAC Hockey play Saturday night. With the win, RPI improves to 6-12-1 and 3-5-0 in league play, while Brown falls to 5-10-1 and 3-6-0 in ECAC Hockey.
 
Both sides played through a scoreless first period that saw the Engineers put on pressure in the final few minutes but couldn't squeak one past Brown goaltender Lawton Zacher.
 
It was a back-and-forth game with both goaltenders making key saves well into the second period until RPI struck at the 16:36 mark of the middle frame. Freshman Tyler Hotson tipped home a puck in the middle of a scramble in the crease to give the Engineers a 1-0 lead. After Evans tried a shot in close in the fight, Hotson got the best swing and put it home inside the right post. Austin Heidemann earned the secondary assist after Evans on the play.
 
That score remained into the third period, where less than five minutes in the Engineers received another break. Evans collected a stretch pass, and was able to slide in behind the defense. As he approached the net, he was caught from behind by Brown's Bret Bliss, and was hooked in the process of shooting.
 
The play called for a penalty shot, and Evans delivered clanking home a shot off the right post and in to give RPI a 2-0 lead. Brown fought back with a goal of their own at the 9:53 mark, as Nick Traggio has a shot bounce behind Watson to make things 2-1. However, despite multiple attempts with the goalie pulled late, Watson and the RPI defense turned away each attempt to hang on for the win.
 
RPI returns to action next weekend on Friday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. when they return to the Houston Field House to take on the St. Lawrence Saints.