Box Score Watch (RPI TV)

TROY, N.Y. – Freshman Alexa Gruschow netted a short-handed goal and sophomore goaltender Kelly O'Brien made 36 saves as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team played to a, 1-1, overtime tie with St. Lawrence University, this afternoon at the Houston Field House. With the with draw, the Engineers move to 9-17-4 overall (7-9-2 ECAC Hockey), while the Saints are now 16-11-3 (11-5-2 ECAC Hockey).

Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA/Washington Pride) broke a scoreless tie at 1:10 of the third period, when she converted on a short-handed breakaway effort. Moving across the face of the St. Lawrence goal, she banked the puck off the post and into the net off the right leg of Saints' sophomore goaltender Carmen MacDonald (Pictou, NS). The tally, which was Grushow's 10th of the season, was her first collegiate shorthanded goal.

St. Lawrence pulled even 2:07 later, as senior captain Kelly Sabatine (Hamilton, ON) swatted home a shot from just outside the crease. Classmate Michelle Ng (Milton, MA) flipped the puck into the middle of the slot for Sabatine, who knocked in her 13th goal of the year. Junior Mel Desrochers (Welland, ON) earned the secondary assist.

O'Brien (Sussex, WI/Madison Capitals) made 13 saves in the first period and 12 more in the second, before finishing with 36 on the day. MacDonald ended up with 25 stops at the other end of the ice, including four in the overtime session.

Both teams had a number of chances to break the tie in the extra frame, but both goaltenders were up to the task.

The Saints held a 13-2 edge in shots on goal after one period, and a 25-10 advantage after two.

The Engineers return to action next weekend, when they visit Yale and Brown on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (4pm), respectively. St. Lawrence hosts Quinnipiac and Princeton on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (4pm).