In a game with 52 total penalty minutes and 23 power plays, it was an even-strength goal by Chase Trull that gave St. Lawrence a 3-2 win over Rensselaer, giving both teams a split in their ECACHL opening weekends.
Trull found the puck just inside the blueline and fired a shot that beat Rensselaer goalie Andrew Martin over his left shoulder with 1:50 left in the second period, providing the Saints their first and only lead of the game.
“We got a timely goal tonight that we didn’t get last night,” said head coach Joe Marsh in reference to the loss to Union on Friday evening. “It’s such a huge win for us after last night, just a great response by our kids.”
The Saints hung on in the third period to keep the one-goal lead and go on to the victory. It didn’t come without some anxious moments as the Engineers had four power plays in the third, including one with two minutes left.
The Saints held on and only allowed one power-play goal to the Engineers while killing a total of 12.
“They rallied pretty well,” said Marsh of his penalty-killing unit. “Union lit us up pretty well last night and it was a great response. I’m proud of them, we needed every guy out there tonight, they all contributed hard.
“I don’t want to be facing that RPI power play. It’s certainly the best power play unit we’ve seen this season so far.”
“We had our opportunities and we didn’t capitalize on them,” said Engineer head coach Dan Fridgen. “It wasn’t meant to be — we missed the net by inches and we didn’t take advantage.”
The Engineers opened the scoring at even strength in the first period. Kirk MacDonald scored his 10th goal of the season, taking a pass off the boards from Kevin Croxton and then deking Mike McKenna to put it high over his glove.
The Saints tied it up on the power play when Drew Bagnall’s shot from the point went right by a screened Martin.
In the second period the Engineers retook the lead on the power play as Matt McNeely pinched down into the high slot and put one high over the stick side of McKenna.
The Saints responded with their second power-play goal of the night. A Jon Zeiler shot from a bad angle bounced around until it knocked in off bodies in front. The Saints wound up 2-for-10 on the power play for the night.
McKenna made 30 saves while Martin made 32 on the evening.
The Engineers (5-3-1, 1-1-0 ECACHL) will play a home-and-home with Union next weekend while St. Lawrence (5-4-1, 1-1-0 ECACHL) hosts Vermont and Dartmouth.
