HENRIETTA, N.Y. – Seven players recorded multiple points for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team in defeating Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), 8-3, on Saturday night at Gene Polisseni Center. With the win, the Engineers improve to 1-1-2, while the Tigers drop to 0-2-1.
RPI scored on the first shift of the game, as sophomore Jacob Hayhurst (Missassauga, ON/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) buried a cross-ice feed from freshman Emil Ohrvall (Halmstad, Sweden/Waterloo Black Hawks) on a 2-on-1 break. Senior Viktor Liljegren (Halmstad, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs) picked up the secondary assist.
The Tigers drew even 1:04 later on junior Abbott Girduckis’ (Belleville, ON/Wellington Dukes) first of two goal on the night. Senior captain Myles Powell (Courtenay, BC/Cowichan Valley Capitals) and freshman Regan Seiferling (Moose Jaw, SK/Yorkton Terriers) had the assists.
Sophomore Will Reilly (Toronto, ON/Nanaimo Clippers) put the visitors back on front (2-1) at 6:23 of the first, snapping a shot from the right circle that deflected off the glove of RIT freshman netminder Logan Drackett (Calgary, AB/Calgary Canucks) and over the line. The tally, which was Rielly’s second in as many nights, drew assists from Hayhurst and Ohrvall.
Girduckis tied the game again (2-2) less than two minutes later, with the lone helper going to sophomore defenseman Darren Brady (Lake Orion, MI/New Jersey Titans).
Liljegren then gave Rensselaer the lead for good (3-2) at 11:21 of the opening frame. Hayhurst delivered the assist. Freshman Troy York (Plano, TX/Lone Star Brahmas) then made it 4-2 with a power play tally at 15:17. Classmate Billy Jerry (River Falls, WI/Madison Capitals) earned the assist on York’s first collegiate goal.
RIT drew to within 4-3 at 15:32 of the second, when sophomore Jordan Peacock (Burlington, ON/Burlington Cougars) netted a power play goal – his first of the season – from sophomore Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, PQ/Cumberland Grads) and Girduckis.
The Engineers closed out the game by scoring the final four goals, including a late second period mark from junior Brady Wiffen (St. Mary’s, ON/Trenton). Coming out of the penalty box, he jumped on a loose puck in the offensive zone and beat Drackett stick side to make it a 5-3 game with just 29 second left in the period.
York added his second goal just 53 seconds into the third, before junior Evan Tironese (Qualicum Beach, BC/Alberni Valley) made it 7-3 at 9:30. Liljegren capped the scoring at 11:44 with assists to Ohrvall and sophomore Todd Burgess (Phoenix, AZ/Fairbanks Ice Dogs).
Hayhurst (1 goal, 2 assists) had a hand in RPI’s first three goals, while Liljegren (2 goals, 1 assist) and Ohrvall (3 assists) all had three points.
Freshman netminder Linden Marshall (Victoria, BC/Trail Smoke Eaters) made 33 saves to earn the win in his first collegiate start, while Drackett had 15 stops at the other end of the ice. Classmate Ian Andriano (Barrie, ON/Ottawa Jr. Senators) made two saves over the final 10 minutes.
The eight goals are the most by an RPI team since a 10-7 victory over RIT in 2005. The five-goal margin of victory is the widest since October 31, 2014 at Union.
The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they open ECAC Hockey play with a home and home series against Union College. RPI heads to Schenectady on Friday (7pm), before hosting the Dutchmen for Blackout! on Saturday (7pm). RIT visits Army for two next weekend.
