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Post-Game Press Conference
TROY, N.Y. – Junior
Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) picked up a goal and two assists to lead the Rensselaer men's hockey team to a 3-1 victory over Brown University in ECAC Hockey action, at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Engineers improve to 6-3-1 (2-0-0 ECACH), while the Bears fall to 0-2-1 (0-1-1 ECACH).
Former Engineer great Bob Brinkworth '64 was inducted in the RPI Ring on Honor during the second intermission and his #8 was unveiled at the west end of the arena. Brinkworth played in 71 games for the Engineers, recording 110 goals and 106 assists for 216 career points.
RPI took a 1-0 lead on a 5-on-3 power play tally by freshman
Brandon Pirri (Toronto, ON/Georgetown Raiders) at 17:44 of the first period. After working the puck from behind the net, Polacek found Pirri all alone in the low slot, where he wristed a shot inside the left post for his sixth goal of the season.
A slew of early Brown penalties gave the Engineers a number of extended power-play opportunities, for which they went 1 for 6. Brown was unsuccessful on its lone first period man-advantage.
Senior
Paul Kerins (Weston, ON/North York Rangers) gave the Engineers a 2-0 lead on the team's second power-play goal of the night at 3:39 of the second period. After his initial shot was blocked a second effort by Kerins netted the forward his second of the year. Assists went to Pirri and fellow freshman Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, NY/U.S. National U-18 Team).
The Bears pulled to within 2-1 with a 5-on-3 power-play of their own at 5:59 of the second. Senior co-captain Devin Timberlake (Port Alberta, BC/Alberni Valley Bulldogs) picked up rebound at the edge of the crease and lifted a shot over the shoulder of RPI sophomore netminder
Allen York (Wetaskiwin, AB/Camrose Kodiaks) for the goal.
Polacek finished a 2-on-1 break with sophomore
Patrick Cullen to give Rensselaer an insurance goal and a 3-1 lead at 18:06 of the third period. Junior
Scott Halpern (Boca Raton, FL/Bay State Breakers) earned the second helper on Polacek's team-leading seventh of the season and sixth point of the weekend.
York (5-2-1), who made a sprawling left pad save with less than three minutes to go to maintain a 2-1 lead, finished with 18 saves, while Bears goaltender Mike Clemente (Great Falls, VA/U.S. NTDP) made 25 stops. RPI went 2 for 7 on the power-play, while Brown went 1 for 5.
The Engineers hit the road next weekend, when they visit North Country rivals Clarkson and St. Lawrence on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Bears hosts Colgate and Cornell next weekend. All games are scheduled for 7pm starts.