A common theme for the Engineers early this season has been an inability to win games where they outplay their opponent and rack up a majority of the game's shots.
It looked like they might have turned the corner as they defeated 7th ranked Harvard on Friday night by a 2-1 margin, but it was right back to old ways on Saturday when the Engineers outshot a struggling Dartmouth squad 34-11 but managed to suffer a 3-1 defeat, the first at home against the Big Green since 2009.
Harvard
Horwood/Gruschow/Smelker
Mahoney/Wash/Rooney
Sanders/Mari Mankey/Svoboda
Missy Mankey/Walsh/Hylwa
Banks/Schilter
Huhtamaki/Marzario
Middlebrook/Godin
O'Brien
Lauren Wash's third goal of the season was also the game winner Friday night as RPI defeated #7 Harvard 2-1 at Houston Field House.
The Engineers picked up the win despite being outshot 30-15 on the night thanks to solid goaltending from Kelly O'Brien and goals from Wash and freshman Laura Horwood.
Horwood's goal came late in the first period, just as a Harvard penalty, one of several taken by the two teams, expired. After managing little sustained pressure on the power play chance, Horwood was able to redirect a pass from Alexa Gruschow for the 1-0 lead.
While RPI held an edge in shots in the first period, Harvard turned up the pressure in the second and outshot the Engineers 12-4.
The momentum swing was sparked by a tying goal fairly early on at 4:47, with Dylanne Crugnale blasting past the Engineer defense and beating O'Brien for the tally.
The Harvard pressure continued into the third period, however the Engineers held on and made a great play at the midpoint of the period to take the lead. After dumping the puck in behind the Harvard net, Taylor Mahoney chased it down and was able to get it to the front of the net, where Katie Rooney quickly redirected it across the crease to a waiting Wash who had a wide open net for an easy tap-in.
RPI held strong for the latter half of the third period, including a minute of time with the Harvard net empty in favor of the extra attacker, in order to pick up the 2-1 victory.
Dartmouth
Horwood/Gruschow/Smelker
Mahoney/Wash/Rooney
Sanders/Mari Mankey/Svoboda
Missy Mankey/Walsh/Hylwa
Banks/Schilter
Huhtamaki/Marzario
Behounek/Godin
O'Brien
After defeating one of the top teams in the country on Friday, the Engineers faced off against a Dartmouth squad which had gone winless in five straight games - including handing Union its first ECAC victory in more than a year.
While that should have been a recipe for success, the Engineers instead allowed three goals on eleven shots and only managed one of their own on 34 tries, falling 3-1 to the Big Green.
Dartmouth scored first in Saturday's affair, with Ali Winkel knocking the puck off an Engineer stick and straight into the back of the net while skating across the top of the crease.
RPI answered with a goal of their own early in the second period, with Katie Rooney managing to get behind the Dartmouth defense for a breakaway goal.
While RPI outshot Dartmouth 11-5 in the middle frame, the Big Green picked up the next goal, a big momentum-killer with only 21 seconds left in the period. Karlee Odland scored the goal on a Dartmouth power play.
The Engineers dominated the third period and racked up a 15-1 advantage in shots. Unfortunately for them, Dartmouth's lone shot was also a goal, as Laura Stacey scored on a shorthanded breakaway to put the Engineers behind 3-1.
In the end, the Engineers outshot the Big Green 34-11 and left the ice with nothing to show for it, handing Dartmouth its first win of the season.
Things will get harder before they get easier as RPI now travels to #3 Cornell on Friday night before taking on Colgate on Saturday. Cornell opened the season 5-0 before tying Quinnipiac 1-1 on Saturday. Colgate, in the meantime, has racked up a 2-8 record, with the wins coming against RIT and UConn.
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RPI vs. Harvard
ECAC Hockey Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/1/13 - 7:00pm
RPI 2, Harvard 1
BOX SCORES:
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1314/boxes/wharren1.n01
RECAPS:
Complete Game Video: http://rpitv.org/productions/619-womens-hockey-vs-harvard
RECORD: 2-5-1 (1-0 ECAC)
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RPI vs. Dartmouth
ECAC Hockey Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/2/13 - 4:00pm
Dartmouth 3, RPI 1
BOX SCORES:
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1314/boxes/wdarren1.n02
RECAPS:
Complete Game Video: http://rpitv.org/productions/620-womens-hockey-vs-dartmouth
RECORD: 2-6-1 (1-1 ECAC)
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Upcoming Games
Nov. 8 - at Cornell (7pm)
Nov. 9 - at Colgate (4pm)
Nov. 15 - Yale (4pm)
Nov. 16 - Brown (4pm)
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