TROY, N.Y. – Senior Milos Bubela scored with 24 seconds left in regulation to send the 17th-ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team home with a 3-3 tie at 16th-ranked Cornell University, on Saturday night in the regular season finale for both teams. With the win draw, the Engineers move to 16-13-7 overall (8-7-7 ECAC Hockey), while the Big Red are now 13-9-7 (8-8-6 ECAC Hockey).
Down a goal (3-2) in the final minute, the Engineers worked the puck to blue line for Bubela (Banska Bystrica, Slovakia/Dubuque Fighting Saints), who fired a low shot that made its way to the back of the net. Sophomores Viktor Liljegren (Stockholm, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs) and Mike Prapavessis (Oakville, ON/Toronto Patriots) picked the assists on Bubela’s 10th goal of the season.
Cornell went on to out-shoot RPI 4-3, in overtime, but neither team was able to net the game-winner.
The Big Red opened the scoring just 28 seconds into the game. Freshman Anthony Angello (Manlius, NY/Omaha Lancers) ripped home a one-time past Rensselaer senior goaltender Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, MB/Des Moines Buccaneers) for a 1-0 lead. Freshman Alec McCrea (El Cajon, CA/Waterloo Black Hawks) was credited with the lone helper.
Liljegren brought the visitors even at 8:28 of the second period, taking a stretch pass and walking in alone on a breakaway. Making a move from left to right, Liljegren stuck home his fifth goal of the year past Cornell junior netminder Mitch Gillam (Peterborough, ON/Chilliwack Chiefs).
The game didn’t remain tied for long as the hosts struck back 32 seconds later. A warp around attempt by junior Jeff Kubiak (Tinley Park, IL/Muskegon Lumberjacks) wound up on the tape of Angello, who whipped in his second of the game and 11th of the year from the low left circle.
RPI senior captain Chris Bradley (Williamsville, NY/Youngstown Phantoms) tied the game at 3:56 of the third, taking a shot from the top of the left circle that deflected off of Gilliam and in.
Six minutes later, the Big Red regained the lead, as a shot from the left point by McCrea snuck over the line on Kasdorf. Helpers went to Kubiak and freshman Mitch Vanderlaan (Hanswell, NB/Fort McMurray Oil Barons).
Kasdorf (10-11-5) finished with 29 saves, including 13 in the second period alone. Gillam (13-9-7) had 26 stops at the other end of the ice. Cornell was 0 for 3 on the power play, while the Engineers were unsuccessful on their only chance.
BRADLEY BIAS:
Senior captain Chris Bradley has two goals this season and both of them have come against the Big Red. He scored the only goal in RPI’s 1-0 win in Troy on January 15.
VIKTOR FACTOR:
The Engineers are now 13-4-5 when Viktor Liljegren records a point, including 6-2-3 this season.
UP NEXT:
The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they host Brown University in a best-of-three playoff series at the Houston Field House.
Cornell hosts Union College in a best-of-three series at Lynah.
