WATERTOWN, Mass. – Sophomore Mike Prapavessis scored the eventual game-winning goal as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team defeated Bentley University, 3-2, at John A. Ryan Arena on Friday night. With the win, the Engineers improve to 6-4-2 and extend their unbeaten to streak to seven games. The Falcons drop to 5-4-1.
RPI got the scoring started, when sophomore Lou Nanne (Edina, MN/Sioux Falls Stampede) buried a one-time feed from classmate Drew Melanson (Paramus, NJ/Waterloo Black Hawks) at 8:41 of the opening frame. The tally was his third of the season.
Senior Mark Miller (Massena, NY/Omaha Lancers) made it 2-0 at 17:44 of the first, firing inside the near post on a 2-on-1 rush up ice with freshman Alex Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Jersey Hitmen). Flying up the left wing boards, Miller faked a cross-ice pass before rifling home his fourth goal of the year.
The Engineers took a 3-0 at 10:31 of the second period. Prapavessis (Oakville, ON/Toronto Patriots) claimed a rebound in the slot and ripped a shot into the top right corner for his first of the year. The play started as a 3-on-2 rush for visitors with senior Zach Schroeder delivering at shot from the right circle. Prapavessis, who was trailing on the play, stuck home the loose puck from between the circles.
Bentley pulled to within 3-1 at 17:27 of the second, thanks to freshman Jake Ahlgren’s (Fergus Falls, MN/Wenatchee Wild) fourth goal of the year. His long shot from just inside the blue line snuck past RPI freshman netminder Cam Hackett (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Lincoln Stars) to get the hosts on the board.
Junior Max French (West Kelowna, BC/West Kelowna Warriors) made it a one-goal game (3-2) at 6:44 of the third, gathering a feed from sophomore Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee Falls, WI/Sioux City Musketeers) and sticking a backhanded shot past Hackett for his team-leading seventh of the season.
Rensselaer was able to hold on from there, as Hackett finished the third with 11 stops.
Hackett (3-0-2) and Bentley senior goalie Gabe Antoni (Lansdale, PA/Springfield Jr. Blues) each finished with 31 saves. RPI went 0 for 3 on the power play, while the Falcons were 0 for 4.
UNBEATEN STREAK EXTENDED:
The Engineers pushed their unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2) with their win over the Falcons.
BOURBONNAIS COOLED:
Rensselaer junior Riley Bourbonnais saw his six-game point streak come to an end at Bentley.
NO OVERTIME:
For the first time in five games, the Engineers had a game end in regulation time. RPI hadn’t played a 60-minute affair since October.
UP NEXT:
The Engineers return to action on Tuesday, when they host New Hampshire at the Houston Field House (7pm).
Bentley visits 10th-ranked Boston University on Tuesday (7:05pm).
