LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Will Reilly scored the opening goal and assisted on the game-winner in his return to the lineup, leading the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team to a 2-1 victory over the University Massachusetts Lowell, on Friday afternoon at Tsongas Center. With the win, the Engineers improve to 4-6-0 overall, while the River Hawks drop to 6-6-1.
Freshman Jakub Lacka (Bratislava, Slovakia/Central Illinois Flying Aces), who was playing in his first game since October 13, broke a 1-1 tie at 8:33 of the third period, ripping a one-timer from the top of the left circle past River Hawks junior goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, ON). The power play tally, which was Lacka’s third in three games this season, drew helpers from Reilly (Toronto, ON/Nanaimo Clippers) and junior Patrick Polino (Buffalo, NY/Lincoln Stars).
UMass Lowell pulled Wall with two minutes to play, but could not get a second puck past Rensselaer freshman netminder Owen Savory (Guelph, ON/St. Catharines Falcons), who turned away 26 of 27 shots in first collegiate start, earning his first victory in the process. Wall had 21 saves at the other end of the ice.
Reilly got himself on the scoresheet at 10:52 of the first period, firing through a screen at the right point for his second goal of the season. Helpers went to freshman Ottoville Leppanen (Espoo, Finland/Espoo Blues U20) and junior Jacob Hayhurst (Mississauga, ON/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), who beat out a potential icing to keep the play alive. Lacka provided the screen in front.
RPI nearly added to its lead on three separate occasions in the second period, beginning with a 2-on-1 rush that saw Polino rip a shot off the left shoulder of Wall. The rebound caromed to Engineers junior Todd Burgess (Phoenix, AZ/Fairbanks Ice Dogs), who steered the puck back on goal, but Wall was able to snare it with his glove.
A minute later, Reilly was denied on another glove save by Wall. RPI broke into the zone up the left wall, with Hayhurst finding Reilly with a cross-crease feed. Wall was able to stick out his catching glove for a point blank stop.
Midway through the second, Reilly and Hayhurst combined for a give-and-go, setting up a shot from the right circle that Reilly clanked off the crossbar.
Lowell drew even (1-1) at 1:59 of the third, when freshman Jon McDonald (Livonia, MI) drove the net up the left wing boards and beat Savory, five-hole, for his first collegiate tally. Assists went to sophomore Charlie Levesque (Russell, ON) and junior captain Ryan Lohin (Chadds Ford, PA).
Rensselaer, which broke a three-game losing streak against the River Hawks, went 1 for 3 on the power play, while Lowell was 0 for 4.
Both teams are back in action on Sunday afternoon at the Houston Field House. Puck drop for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day is scheduled for 4pm.
