RPI Salvages Road Trip, Beats Colgate In Overtime

Sophomore Matt Neal buried a rebound with 10 seconds remaining in overtime to propel the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Colgate University, this evening in ECAC Hockey play at Starr Rink. With the win, the Engineers improve to 15-12-5 (10-7-3 ECACH) and move back into second place in the league standings. The Raiders drop to 14-14-4 (6-11-3 ECACH).

Neal’s goal – his eighth of the season – capped a three-goal comeback for the Engineers, who trailed 2-0 midway through the second period. With overtime wearing to an end, Nick Bailen (Fredonia, NY/Indiana Ice) moved the puck to the right point for freshman Chris Bradley (Williamsville, PA/Youngstown Phantoms), who fired a shot on goal. Colgate junior netminder Eric Mihalek (Avon Lake, OH/Des Moines) made the save, but the puck fell to Neal for the game-winner.

Down 2-0 in the second, RPI freshman Mark Miller (Massena, NY/Omaha Lancers) got the visitors on the board, when he redirected a Like Curadi (Cheshire, CT/Dubuque Fighting Saints) slap shot from the left point past Mihalek. Freshman Travis Fulton (Oakville, ON/Vaughan Vipers) picked up the secondary assist for his third point in as many games.

Senior Bailen pulled the Engineers even (2-2) at 18:43 of the second, when he tipped home a Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, CT/U.S. National Dev. Team) shot from the top of the left circle. The power-play goal, which was his 11th of the season, was also assisted by Neal. The two points for Bailen give him 100 for his collegiate career.

Colgate freshman Kyle Baun (Toronto, ON/Cornwall Colts) scored the game’s first goal at 1:10 of the second period. Freshmen Tyson Spink (Williamstown, ON/Cornwall Colts) and Mike Borkowski (Kanata, ON/Cornwall Colts) picked up the assists.

Borkowski made it 2-0 at 10:26 of the frame on a tight-angle shot from the low circle. Assists on Borkowski’s fourth of the year went to Spink and Spiro Goulakos (Montreal, PQ/St-Jerome Panthers).

RPI freshman goaltender Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, MB/Des Moines Buccaneers) made 25 saves to earn the victory, while Mihalek stopped 34 shots at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers close out their regular season schedule next Friday and Saturday at home against Clarkson (7pm) and St. Lawrence (7pm). Saturday will be Senior Night at the Houston Field House.

The preceding information was provided by the RPI Sports Information Department.