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TROY, N.Y. – Junior Nick Bailen and freshman Ryan Haggerty each netted a pair of power-play goals to lead the Rensselaer men's hockey team to a 7-0 victory over Acadia, this evening in an exhibition contest at the Houston Field House. The Engineers open their regular season on Friday against Minnesota State-Mankato (7pm).

Freshman Jacob Laliberte (Rockland, ON/Cornwall Colts) nearly gave the Engineers the lead in the first minute of action, when he got loose on a breakaway, but his wrist shot from the low slot was tipped up into the netting by Acadia Evan Mosher (Conception Bay South, NL).

Rensselaer broke into the goal column on its first power-play of the game, when Haggerty (Stamford, CT/U.S National Dev. Team) stuffed in a close range attempt at 5:45 of the opening frame. Assists went to senior Josh Rabbani (Woodlake Hills, CA/St. Louis Bandits) and freshman Zach Schroeder (Prior Lake, MN/St. Thomas Academy).

Bailen (Fredonia, NY/Indiana Ice) made it 2-0 Engineers at the 19:40 mark of the first after tick-tack passing found the defenseman all alone at the left of the Acadia cage. Sophomore Pat Koudys (Smithville, ON/Burlington Cougars) sent a cross-ice pass for senior Patrick Cullen (Washington, DC/Indiana Ice) at the right point. Cullen dished the puck down low for Bailen, who roofed a shot just under the crossbar.

Bailen extended the Engineers lead to 3-0 on their third power-play goal in as many chances at 5:16 of the second period. Taking a pass from Koudys, he ripped a shot that hit a defender and slipped past Mosher for the goal. Koudys and fellow sophomore Brock Higgs (Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyageurs) picked up the helpers on Rensselaer's third tally.

The Engineers then scored four goals in the third period, including two more man-advantage tallies from Haggerty and sophomore defenseman Bo Dolan (St. Paul, MN/Penticton Vees).

Schroeder made it 4-0 on a wrist shot from the right circle, before Haggerty notched his second of the game, slamming home his own rebounds to make it 5-0 at 7:38 of the third stanza. After Dolan made it 6-0 with a power-play goal at the 11:35 mark, junior CJ Lee (Staten Island, NY/Green Bay Gamblers) capped the scoring with an even strength marker at 17:26.

RPI freshman netminder Scott Diebold (Buffalo, NY/Tri-City Storm) earned the shutout making 19 saves, including nine in the second period. Mosher finished with 27 stops at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers are back in action next weekend, when they host Minnesota State-Mankato on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (7pm).