RPI Beaten by Route 7 Rival Union

Photo by Sara Melikian

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Union College got a power play goal just 1:16 into the third period and the Dutchmen held off the Rensselaer men's hockey team, 3-1, before a sold out crowd of 2,341 at Messa Rink. The 13th-ranked Dutchmen remain undefeated and in first place in the ECAC Hockey standings with 17 points (7-0-3). Overall they are 13-4-5. RPI falls to 12-11-1 and 5-5-0.

With the score tied at 1-1 to start the period, Union took advantage of an early power play when freshman Wayne Simpson (Boxborough, MA/Lawrence Academy) scored from the doorstep on a rebound of a Jeremy Welsh (Bayfield, ON/Oakville Blades) shot.

The Engineers, who had a power play of its own to end the second period, broke out on top with a shorthanded goal by junior Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) at 16:33 of the first period. The play started in RPI's defensive zone when senior defenseman Peter Merth (New Westminster, BC/Burnaby Express) chipped the puck off the left-side boards to freshman Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, NY/U.S. Under-18 Team). D'Amigo carried the puck up the left wing before finding Polacek coming down the right. Polacek, the team's leading scorer, drove past a defender and snapped a shot into the upper right corner for his 16th goal of the season.

Polacek had a shorthanded breakaway five minutes into the second period but was denied by Union freshman goalie Keith Kincaid (Farmingville, NY/St. Louis Bandits), keeping it a one-goal game. The homestanding Dutchmen tied the game at 13:28 of the middle period when junior Adam Presizniuk (Calgary, AB/Powell River Kings) scored. Linemates Mario Valery-Trabucoo (Montreal, PQ/Northwood School) and Jason Walters (Renfrew, ON/Pembroke Lumber Kings) assisted on the goal.

An empty net goal by Luke Cain (Thunder Bay, ON/Cowichan Valley) sealed the win for Union.

Kinkaid finished with 22 saves for the victory, while RPI's Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) made 24 stops on the other end.

The Engineers are back in action when they return home to the Houston Field House for the first time since December 9 next weekend. Rensselaer hosts league foes Dartmouth on Friday night (7pm) and Harvard on Saturday afternoon (4pm).