TROY, N.Y. – Senior Brett Patterson scored the eventual game-winning goal to lift the Dartmouth College men’s hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), on Friday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Big Green improve to 3-5-1 (3-4-0 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 8-6-2 (4-1-2 ECAC Hockey).
Patterson (Eden Prairie, MN/Sioux City Musketeers) fired home his second goal of the season from just inside the left circle, to give Dartmouth a 2-1 lead at 8:51 of the third period. Junior Grant Opperman (Wayzata, MN/Tri-City Storm) and freshman Karan Toor (Surrey, BC/Prince George Spruce Kings) picked the assists.
After killing off a major penalty in the final 10 minutes, the Engineers pulled freshman goaltender Cam Hackett (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Lincoln Stars) for an extra-attacker with 1:36 to play, but could not find the equalizing goal. The Big Green came close to potting an empty-netter, but hit the post in the final seconds.
Dartmouth opened the scoring at 13:25 of the first period, when sophomore Carl Hesler (Boxborough, MA/West Kelowna Warriors) beat Hackett short side, from the right circle. Classmate Kevin Neiley (Warminster, PA/Exeter) and senior Jack Barre (Fairfield, CT/New Jersey Hitmen) had the helpers on Hesler’s third of the campaign.
RPI senior Milos Bubela (Banska Bystrica, Slovakia/Dubuque Fighting Saints) pulled the hosts even at 11:53 of the second, snapping home his third of the year on a long rebound. Sophomore Mike Prapavessis (Oakville, ON/Toronto Patriots) found freshman Alex Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Sioux City Musketeers) streaking up the right wing boards. Rodriguez fired a low shot – far pad – that popped right to Bubela, who stuffed in his third of the year.
Hackett finished with 34 saves, while Dartmouth sophomore Devin Buffalo (Westakiwin, AB/Drumheller) had 28. The Engineers were 0 for 2 on the power play, with Dartmouth finishing at 0 for 4, including one of the five minute variety.
FIRST ASSISTS:
RPI freshman Alex Rodriguez and Dartmouth rookie Karan Toor each recorded their first collegiate assists on Friday.
CRITICAL FIRST GOAL:
The Engineers drop to 1-5-1 when they allow the first goal in a game. Conversely, RPI is 7-1-1 when it scores first.
TWO GOAL STREAK SNAPPED: The Engineers fell for the first time this season when allowing two goals or fewer. RPI was 6-0-1 in such games coming into Friday.
UP NEXT:
The Engineers are back on the ice tomorrow night, when they host eighth-ranked Harvard at the Houston Field House (7pm).
Dartmouth visits Union tomorrow night (7pm).
