Women's Hockey - UConn (25/26 Oct)

It took from January to the end of October, but the Engineers finally put a tally back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over UConn on Saturday at Houston Field House. Sunday's game was perhaps more tilted in favor of the Engineers, but a strong performance by UConn goalie Annie Belanger helped the Huskies hold on for a 2-2 tie.

Saturday

Mahoney/Gruschow/Tomlinson
Horwood/Wash/Renn
Rooney/Mankey/Svoboda
Walsh/Hylwa/Raspa

Schilter/Godin
Middlebrook/Behounek
Kimmerle/Banks

O'Brien

Alexa Gruschow had two goals, an assist, and eight shots on goal Saturday to lead RPI to a 4-1 win over UConn at Houston Field House.

Kathryn Schilter added a goal and an assist and Kelly O'Brien held the Huskies to one goal on 27 shots in net for the Engineers.

UConn wrecked its chances in the game by running a constant parade to the penalty box, and RPI broke a power play drought with two quick power play goals early in the second period.

Gruschow picked up the game's first goal on the man advantage at 2:22 of the second, with assists from Ali Svoboda and Schilter.

UConn took another penalty at 5:43 and RPI wasted no time, with Schilter scoring five seconds later to take a 2-0 lead on a blast from the point.

Gruschow's second at 12:23 of the middle frame put the Engineers up by three, but a power play goal for UConn finally got the Huskies on the board near the midpoint of the third.

Taylor Mahoney added an empty net goal in the game's waning minutes, pushing the RPI lead to 4-1 just 11 seconds after UConn netminder Elaine Chuli headed to the bench.

Despite spending 20 minutes in the penalty box, UConn managed to hold RPI to a 29-27 edge in shots. That would be more lopsided on Sunday, yet the result wouldn't be as good for the Engineers.

Sunday

Mahoney/Gruschow/Tomlinson
Horwood/Wash/Renn
Rooney/Mankey/Svoboda
Walsh/Hylwa/Raspa

Kimmerle/Schilter

Behounek/Banks

Middlebrook

Piper

RPI outshot UConn 32-20 but the Huskies won the special teams battle, scoring a shorthanded goal and a power play goal which ended up enough to hold RPI to a 2-2 tie on Sunday afternoon.

Sarah MacDonnell scored shorthanded at 4:23 of the opening period, breaking down ice on  a 2-on-1, taking a pass from Leah Buress and putting it past Brianna Piper for a 1-0 lead.

RPI tied the game later in the first when Shayna Tomlinson scored. Three UConn penalties in a row in the early second period weren't enough to let RPI grab the lead, and instead it was UConn's Kelly Harris capitalizing on a 4-on-3 power play opportunity to put the Huskies up 2-1.

Laura Horwood would notch the game-tying goal for the Engineers in the third period, just moments after an apparent RPI goal had been waved off for a player interfering with UConn goalie Annie Belanger in the crease.

Another power play later in the third plus a short opportunity at the tail end of overtime proved fruitless for the Engineers and they had to settle for the 2-2 tie.

ECAC action starts for the Engineers next week as they face Harvard (7pm Fri) and Dartmouth (4pm Sat) on the road. It's hard to say much about the pair of Ivies at this point - each has beaten McGill in an exhibition, while Dartmouth soundly defeated New Hampshire on Sunday, hinting that perhaps there may be some improvement in Hanover as compared to last year's team which went 9-20-1.

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RPI vs. Connecticut
Non-Conference Game - Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
10/25/14 - 3:00pm
RPI 4, UConn 1

BOX SCORES:
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1415/boxes/wconren1.o25
RPI: http://rpiathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=whock&id=4428

RECAPS:
RPI: http://rpiathletics.com/news/2014/10/25/WICE_1025143105.aspx
UConn: http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-hockey/recaps/102514aaa.html
Complete Game Video: http://rpitv.org/productions/827-womens-hockey-vs-uconn-game-1

RECORD: 1-4-1 (0-0-0 ECAC)

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RPI vs. Connecticut
Non-Conference Game - Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
10/26/14 - 2:00pm
RPI 2, UConn 2 (OT)

BOX SCORES:
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1415/boxes/wconren1.o26
RPI: http://rpiathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=whock&id=4429

RECAPS:
RPI: http://rpiathletics.com/news/2014/10/26/WICE_1026144959.aspx
UConn: http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-hockey/recaps/102614aaa.html
Complete Game Video: http://rpitv.org/productions/829-womens-hockey-vs-uconn-game-2

RECORD: 1-4-2 (0-0-0 ECAC)

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Upcoming Schedule

Oct. 31 - at Harvard (7pm)
Nov. 1 - at Dartmouth (4pm)
Nov. 7 - St. Cloud State (3pm)
Nov. 8 - St. Cloud State (3pm)