ALBANY, N.Y. – The Union College men’s hockey team scored the first four goals, before holding on for a 4-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in the sixth annual Mayor’s Cup at the Times Union Center. With the win, the Dutchmen improve to 15-10-1 overall, while the Engineers drop to 4-19-4.
Sophomore Anthony Rinaldi (Montreal, PQ) opened the scoring for Union at 16:19 of the first period, tapping home his 13th goal of the season on the rush. Junior Sebastian Vidmar (Malmo, Sweden) drove up the left wing, before sliding a pass to the middle of the slot for Rinaldi, who pushed a shot past RPI freshman goaltender Linden Marshall (Victoria, BC/Trail Smoke Eaters).
Union made it 2-0 at 19:09 of the opening stanza, when Sean Harrison (Anchorage, AK) found a loose puck in the RPI crease and buried his second of the year, with assists to Luc Brown (Napanee, ON) and freshman Parker Foo (Edmonton, AB).
Senior Tyler Hines (Guilderland, NY) put the Dutchmen up 3-0 at 2:36 of the second, picking out the top left corner of the net for his first goal of the season. Playing in first game of 2017-18, he carried the puck into the zone up the right wing, before firing a shot past Marshall from the top of the circle.
Just 1:08 later, Vidmar made it 4-0, snapping a tight angle shot inside the left post, after an attempt from Rinaldi caromed off the end wall before the Engineers cage. Sophomore Vas Kolias (Schaumburg, IL) collected the secondary helper on Vidmar’s eighth on the season.
RPI started its comeback effort at 5:01 of the second, when sophomore TJ Samec (St. Paul, MN/Brookings Blizzard) took advantage of an open Union net, as freshman netminder Darion Hanson (East Bethel, MN) was caught out of his crease. Classmate Jacob Hayhurst (Missassauga, ON/Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) earned the assist on the play.
Freshman Billy Jerry (River Falls, WI/Madison Capitals) brought the Engineers to within 4-2 at 7:43 of the frame, finishing off a back door feed from senior blueliner Mike Prapavessis (Oakville, ON/Toronto Patriots) for his seventh tally of the year.
Senior Jared Wilson (Calgary, AB/Vernon Vipers) cut the deficit to 4-3 just 29 seconds into the third, ripping a shot from the right point past Hanson for his seventh goal of the campaign. Prapavessis once again played the role of setup man, as his across the blue line was one-timed home by Wilson.
Rensselaer pulled Marshall for an extra attacker in the final minute, but could not find an equalizing goal, despite out-shooting the Dutchmen 7-1 in the period and 21-19 overall.
The Dutchmen went 0 for 3 on the power play, including a late man-advantage that helped put the game on ice. The Engineers wound up 0 for 2. Marshall (3-12-2) made 15 saves, with Hanson (10-3-0) turning away 18 at the other end of the ice.
The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they visit Colgate and No. 2 Cornell on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (7pm).
