Back-to-back penalties against the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the final five minutes helped the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers come back from a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes of play en route to a 3-3 tie Saturday afternoon at Houston Arena in Troy, N.Y.
The Nanooks (5-5-2) survived a 4-on-3 power play to open what would end as a scoreless overtime period before RPI prevailed in the shootout. The Engineers close out the weekend at 6-6-1.
Though they killed all four power plays Friday, UAF could not stay out of the penalty box again Saturday. The Engineers had six power-play opportunities for the game and scored on two of them, both in the third period.
The Nanooks built a 3-0 lead, starting when co-captain Garrett Pyke slipped a puck by Engineers goaltender Jack Watson with five minutes remaining in the first period. The even-strength goal was unassisted.
An altercation following a collision into the Engineers’ goal four minutes into the second period left Watson curled over and seeking assistance from the training staff and Dylan Davies of RPI in the penalty box for roughing. Though the Nanooks were unable to capitalize on that power play, former Ice Dog Jonny Sorenson connected later in the period on an unassisted, short-handed goal with Kyle Gaffney sitting in the penalty box for roughing.
That gave the Nanooks a 2-0 lead, and just 30 seconds into the final period Anton Rubtsov came through with UAF’s third unaided goal of the night.
RPI began its comeback during a power play three minutes later. With A.J. Macaulay out for cross checking, Ryan Mahshie scored with an assist by Austin Heidimann.
The Nanooks were at a 5-on-3 advantage for a minute in the back half of the third period but couldn’t score after the Engineers drew back-to-back penalties; cross checking on Davies and tripping on Jake Gagnon.
Once RPI killed the double penalty, they earned their own 5-on-3 a minute later.
Two players were sent to the locker room with 7:24 remaining in the game. Mylymok incurred a double penalty for contact to the head which sent RPI’s Nick Strom off the ice with an injury. With Mylymok in the box, Matt Koethe followed with his own two-minute timeout for tripping.
With 4:04 to play, Gagnon scored RPI’s goal with Watson out of the net to create a 6-on-4 advantage.
Watson again skated off with just over three minutes to play, enabling RPI to send the game to overtime when John Beaton scored with an assist from Strom and Gagnon.
After the scoreless extra period, Rubstov, Sorenson and Cade Neilson each missed attempts on goal while Matt Radomsky was scored on by Kyle Hallbauer and Rory Herman.
Before breaking for Thanksgiving, the Nanooks will face their stiffest test of the season to-date, taking on No. 6 Penn State in State College on Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Wednesday at 3 p.m.
