RPI Set to Host Playoff Series

Photo by J.S. Carras — The Record

TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team is set to host Brown University in the first round of the ECAC Hockey Playoffs this weekend. The best-of-three series, which runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary), will be held at the Houston Field House with all games facing-off at 7 p.m.

RPI, which is led by fourth-year head coach Seth Appert, finished the regular season with a 17-15-4 overall record and a 10-9-3 league mark. The Engineers tied for fifth place in the final conference standings with 23 points but are the sixth seed based on tiebreakers. Brown, which is 8-17-4 and 6-12-4, finished in 11th place and is the 11th seed.

Rensselaer enters the playoffs averaging 2.83 goals per game, while allowing 2.81. Junior forward Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) is the leader in goals (25), power play goals (12) and points (50). A candidate for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. college hockey player, he had 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 22 ECAC Hockey contests to rank first in the league in points and points per game (1.59). Polacek is also first in power play points (6 goals, 9 assists), shorthanded goals (2) and shorthanded points (5). He is third in goals, assists, goals per game (0.77) and assists per game (0.82) and fourth in power play goals.

Freshman forward Brandon Pirri (Toronto, ON/Georgetown Raiders) paces the Engineers with 31 assists and is second in points with 41, while classmate Jerry D’Amigo (Binghamton, NY/U.S. Under-18 National Development Team) is third in scoring with 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists).

In goal, sophomore Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) has played 80.4% of the games. He has a 13-11-4 record with a 2.59 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. In 20 ECAC Hockey contests, he is 9-7-3 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. He finished second in the league in both goals against average and save percentage.

RPI and Brown split the season series with Rensselaer winning at home, 3-1 on November 7, and the Bears capturing a 4-3 overtime win in Providence on January 29. Brown’s victory snapped an 8-game winless streak against the Engineers (7-0-1), dating back to March 2005.

Tickets for the series, the third set all-time between the two schools, are available through the Houston Field House box office. Prices are $6.00 for RPI students with a valid ID, $8.00 for children and students and $12.00 for adults. Tickets can be purchased using cash, check or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Additional information is available by calling the box office at (518) 276-6262.