Women's Hockey - at Vermont (31 Oct)

RPI took a rare mid-week trip to Burlington for a Halloween night game against Vermont and took the opportunity to recover from a rough weekend with a 5-1 win. Despite the score, it was not a spectacular game for the Engineers, who were sloppy with the puck at times and committed several unnecessary penalties against a team that they outnumbered nearly 2-to-1 on the bench.

Vermont

Smelker/Gruschow/Svoboda
Cox/Mari Mankey/Horton
Letuligasenoa/Mahoney/Wash
Middlebrook/Sanders/Padmore

Daniels/Banks
Godin/Marzario
Le Donne/Schilter

Piper

A very fast first period saw no action on the scoreboard although the Engineers racked up a solid 10-3 shot advantage and saw the majority of play in the Catamounts' zone. The period's single power play went to the Engineers, but they were unable to crack netminder Kelci Lanthier.

The Engineers opened things up in the second period, starting with a quick goal just 48 seconds in by Jordan Smelker to make it 1-0. Taylor Horton doubled the lead at 3:26, taking a feed from Andie Le Donne and proceeding to outmaneuver several UVM skaters before beating Lanthier for the tally.

With an already short UVM bench made even shorter when Meghan Huertas was sent off on a 10-minute misconduct, Gruschow notched her fifth of the season to make it 3-0 at 16:52 of the middle frame.

RPI would pick up a power play goal on a too many players call at 5:44 of the third period, when Taylor Horton faked her way around the UVM defense to get a clean shot past Lanthier. Gruschow notched her second of the evening just two minutes later on a rebound after Lanthier made a nice stop on RPI's initial shot, and like that the Engineers led by five.

UVM got on the board at 12:21 of the third period with Mari Mankey off on a tripping call, but it would be the only goal the Catamounts would be able to muster on the night.

While it was probably a relief for the Engineers to pick up a win after five straight losses, UVM only had 11 skaters dressed, and spent 10 minutes with an even shorter bench with Huertas off on her misconduct. To take seven penalties against a team that shorthanded is not a shining example of discipline by the Engineers, and with a penalty kill that came into the night last in the nation (64.3%), that lack of discipline will need some work before facing tougher opposition or it will likely cost the Engineers.

RPI is off this coming weekend, but returns to Houston Field House Nov. 9 and 10 for a pair of ECAC matchups against Princeton and Quinnipiac.

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RPI at Vermont
Non-Conference Game – Gutterson Field House (Burlington, VT)
10/31/12 - 7:00pm
RPI 5, Vermont 1

BOX SCORES:
USCHO: http://www.uscho.com/box/womens-hockey/2012/10/31/rensselaer-vs-vermont/
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1213/boxes/wrenver1.o31

RECAPS:
RPI: http://rpiathletics.com/news/2012/10/31/WICE_1031125500.aspx
UVM: http://uvmathletics.com/news/2012/10/31/WHOCKEY_1031124913.aspx
Video Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMkmJlW59U0

RECORD: 2-5-1 (0-2-0 ECAC)

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Upcoming Games

Nov. 9 - Princeton (7pm)
Nov. 10 - Quinnipiac (4pm)
Nov. 16 - Robert Morris (3pm)
Nov. 17 - Robert Morris (3pm)