Women's Hockey - Harvard & Dartmouth (12/13 Feb)

The Engineers did a great job in their final home series of the season, skating to a 1-1 tie with Harvard Friday night before beating Dartmouth 2-1 on Saturday.

Despite taking three points on the weekend, however, RPI was unable to lock down a playoff spot as both Cornell and Yale finished the weekend still within striking distance of the Engineers.

Harvard

Horwood/Gruschow/Tomlinson
Rooney/Mankey/Wash
Grigsby/Hylwa/Thomas
Raspa/Orzechowski/Tremblay

Hansen/Godin
Behounek/Banks
Kimmerle/Renn

Selander

RPI was outshot 43-26 by Harvard, but Lovisa Selander held the Crimson to a single goal while Shayna Tomlinson scored for the Engineers in a 1-1 tie on Friday.

Tomlinson's goal came 5:04 into the second period after both Alexa Gruschow and Laura Horwood had shots turned aside. Tomlinson found the loose puck in the crease and whacked it past Emerance Maschmeyer to give the Engineers the lead.

Grace Zarzecki drew the Crimson even about ten minutes later, capitalizing on a turnover in the RPI defensive zone to put a shot past Selander before the netminder could get set for the shot.

Selander and Maschmeyer locked things down after the tying goal, combining for a total of 67 saves - though 42 of those were by Selander in an outstanding effort.

The Engineers managed to kill two penalties in the third, including one which lasted well into overtime, and Selander turned away four Crimson shots in bonus time to earn a point for the 1-1 tie.

Dartmouth

Gruschow/Mankey/Wash
Horwood/Tomlinson/Rooney
Grigsby/Hylwa/Thomas
Raspa/Schwalbe/Tremblay

Godin/Banks
Hansen/Behounek
Kimmerle/Renn

Till/Selander

After tying Harvard Friday night, the Engineers pulled clear of Dartmouth in the battle for a playoff spot by beating the Big Green 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. Brandi Banks and Taylor Schwalbe scored for the Engineers, and Selander made 28 saves after entering the game at the first whistle to replace Sara Till who started in net for Senior Day.

Dartmouth jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 5:48 of the opening period, a goal by Alyssa Baker that was initially waved off for being kicked in, but ruled a good goal after being reviewed.

Banks got the Engineers on the board with just 13 seconds left in the middle frame, holding on to the puck on a 3-on-1 and firing it past Robyn Chemago to knot things at one. The goal came after a close call a little earlier in the second where a Dartmouth 2-on-0 resulted in a shot wide of the RPI net.

Schwalbe scored the game-winner at 14:36 of the third, poking the puck away from Tess Bracken in the neutral zone to spring herself on a breakaway which she fired home to put RPI ahead 2-1.

Selander had to make a few big saves at Dartmouth pushed for the equalizer, including a dangerous flurry in the game's final seconds.

RPI's win over Dartmouth put them five points ahead of the Big Green - out of reach with just two games left. The Engineers sit tied with SLU for sixth, with Yale and Cornell trailing by one and two points respectively going into the season's final weekend.

Three points next weekend (a tall order on the road against Princeton and Quinnipiac) would lock down a playoff spot for the Engineers regardless of other results, however things are likely to be a little less cut and dry than that as Cornell has a decent shot against both Dartmouth and Harvard. A loss for the Big Red in either game would guarantee the Engineers a playoff spot.

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RPI vs. Harvard
ECAC Hockey Game - Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
2/12/16 - 7pm
RPI 1, Harvard 1 (OT)

BOX SCORES:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=whock&id=5206
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1516/boxes/wharren1.f12

RECAPS:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/news/2016/2/12/WICE_0212162449.aspx
Harvard: http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/wice/2015-16/releases/20160212wvszdf
Video Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HEa77ChKmU
Complete Game Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G9zNaxaFo4

RECORD: 9-14-6 (7-8-4 ECAC)

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RPI vs. Dartmouth
ECAC Hockey Game - Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
2/13/16 - 4pm
RPI 2, Dartmouth 1

BOX SCORES:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=whock&id=5207
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1516/boxes/wdarren1.f13

RECAPS:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/news/2016/2/13/WICE_0213160447.aspx
Dartmouth: http://www.dartmouthsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210711571&DB_OEM_ID=11600
Video Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A73ee6l4Tac
Complete Game Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZ7ZQ-N7hg

RECORD: 10-14-6 (8-8-4 ECAC)

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ECAC Standings (all teams have 20GP)

1. Quinnipiac - 32 pts (14-2-4)
2. Clarkson - 29 pts (12-3-5)
3t. Colgate - 27 pts (11-4-5)
3t. Princeton - 27 pts (13-6-1)
5. Harvard - 25 pts (11-6-3)
6t. RPI - 20 pts (8-8-4)
6t. St. Lawrence - 20 pts (8-8-4)
8. Yale - 19 pts (9-10-1)
9. Cornell - 18 pts (7-9-4)
10. Dartmouth - 15 pts (6-11-3)
11. Brown - 5 pts (1-16-3)
12. Union - 3 pts (0-17-3)

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Upcoming Schedule

Feb. 19 - at Princeton (7pm)
Feb. 20 - at Quinnipiac (4pm)