Engineers Win Season Opener

Box Score

TROY, N.Y. - Behind a multiple point effort from four different players, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's ice hockey team defeated the Toronto Jr. Aeros in a 7-2 season opening exhibition win at the Houston Field House this evening.

The Engineers got things going early as junior Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary's) found the back of the net at 1:02. Freshman Sierra Vadner (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) started the play after passing the puck from the far point to senior Melissa Boik (Allen Park, MI/Michigan Capitals) on the opposite side. Boik's shot sailed into traffic in front and deflected in off Weidner's stick for the power play tally.

Toronto wasted little time in evening things up after Alexandra Winkel collected a pass from Paige Goloubef and tucked the puck in between the pads of RPI goalie Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) and the post at 2:06.

Rensselaer took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission as Vadner sent a quick shot from the near point through traffic past the reach of Aeros goalie Katie Jamieson at 18:31. Senior Jamie-Lynn Stewart (Cambridge, ON/Cambridge Jr. Fury) was credited with the assist.

In the second stanza, the Engineers pulled out to a three-goal lead behind tallies from sophomore Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School) and Stewart. Set up in front of the Aeros net, Dunlop caught a backhanded pass from Weidner and fired it in for the 3-1 lead.

Just under three minutes later, Stewart went five-hole on the Toronto goalie from the left side to give the homestanding Engineers the 4-1 lead at 13:08. Freshmen Laura Guillemette (Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, PQ/Notre Dame) and Jill Vandegrift (St. Paul, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) earned the assists on the goal.

The third period saw RPI extend its lead further as Vadner, junior Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) and Dunlop all scored. Just 20 seconds into the period, Vadner corralled a pass from Weidner and slid into the slot, wristing the puck past goalie Nicole Paniccia. Boik was also awarded an assist.

Wright made it a five-goal advantage (6-1) eleven seconds later as her shot from the left circle sailed past Paniccia at 00:31. Toronto's Sally Butler brought the Aeros back to within four at 17:16 after her shot sneaked in on the stick side of RPI senior goalie Emily Ford (Plymouth, MA/Tabor Academy). Dunlop capped the Engineers scoring at 18:51 after she deflected in a shot by Weidner on the power play.

In goal, RPI's van der Bliek stopped 14 shots for the win while Ford made one stop in 3:53 minutes of relief. Toronto saw Jamieson make 28 saves while Paniccia had 10. As a team, Rensselaer held a 45-17 shots on goal advantage, including an 18-2 edge in the first period.

The Engineers return to action tomorrow afternoon when they host the Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres in another exhibition contest at the Houston Field House (4pm). The Aeros head to Schenectady on Saturday to take on Union College (4pm).