SCHENECTADY, N.Y. –
Ian Scherzer,
Filip Sitar, and
Kazimier Sobieski each scored for the RPI men's hockey team, but Union used a late second-period goal and an empty-net tally in the third to earn a 5-3 victory over the Engineers tonight in Schenectady.
RPI opened the scoring midway through the first period when Scherzer finished a setup from
Matthew Buckley and
Grayson Burzynski for his third goal of the season. Union answered with goals from Lucas Buzziol and Nathan Free to take a 2-1 lead before Sitar pulled the Engineers even with an unassisted tally late in the period. Union regained the advantage just over a minute later on a Gavin Garry goal, sending RPI into the first intermission trailing 3-2.
The Engineers held Union off the board for most of the second period behind 12 saves from
Nate Krawchuk. RPI generated several chances to find the equalizer, including attempts from Benjamin Yurchuk,
Thomas Klassek, and Sobieski, but Free scored his second goal of the night in the closing minutes of the frame to extend the Union advantage to 4-2.
RPI continued to press in the third and created a pair of early power-play opportunities, but Union protected the two-goal margin. The Engineers pulled Krawchuk for an extra attacker with just over five minutes remaining, and Tyler Dunbar scored into the empty net shortly afterward to make it 5-2.
The Engineers continued to battle and converted on a late power play with an extra attacker on the ice. Sobieski finished a setup from
Rainers Rullers and Yurchuk for his fourth goal of the season, cutting the deficit to 5-3 with just over two minutes remaining. RPI again pulled Krawchuk in the closing minutes but was unable to draw any closer.
Krawchuk finished with 29 saves, including 12 in the second period. Sitar led RPI with 18 faceoff wins, while Rullers added 10 as the Engineers held a 40-25 advantage at the dot. RPI finished with 29 shots on goal and went one-for-four on the power play while holding Union scoreless on all three of its man-advantage opportunities.
