Box Score

TROY, NY -- Heidi Huhtamaki (Espoo, Finland / Espoo Blues) scored the equalizing goal, and added an assist earlier in the game to help lead Renssealer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a 4-4 tie with Princeton in women's ECAC Hockey action on Saturday afternoon at Houston Field House. The Engineers move to 8-11-2 overall, with a 4-5-1 mark in conference play, while the Tigers now stand at 9-8-3, with a 6-6-2 slate in league action.

Princeton hit the ice firing, as Denna Laing (Marblehead, MA / Assabet Valley) scored the first of her three goals in the game just 25 seconds after the first faceoff. Ali Pankowski (Laguna Hills, CA / NAHA) and Rose Alleva (Red Wing, MN / Red Wing) assisted on the tally. Laing struck again 5:37 into the first period, this time taking helpers from Brianna Leahy (Waterloo, ON / Burlington Barracudas) and Sally Butler (Etobicoke, ON / Toronto Jr. Aeros), putting the Tigers up, 2-0, early on.  RPI would answer with a goal from Mari Mankey (Coon Rapids, MN / Hopkins) at 9:19, as the sophomore capitalized on a power play opportunity with assist from Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA / Washington Pride) and Kathryn Schilter (Aurora, ON / Toronto Jr. Aeros).

Princeton scored first again in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. With just 4:14 gone, Cassidy Tucker (Plymouth, MI / Little Cesaers) took assists from Leahy and Alleva for the goal. Toni Sanders (York, PA / Susquehanna Pride) answered for the Engineers at 12:26, finding the top left corner of the net, while Gruschow recorded her second assist of the game on the goal.

With the Tigers leading, 3-2, to start the third, Lauren Wash (Belle Mead, NJ / New Jersey Rockets) tied the game just 2:24 into the period with her fifth goal in three games. Mankey and Huhtamaki picked up the assists on the tally. Less than a minute later, Laing completed her hat trick for Princeton, taking an assist from Leahy for a shorthanded goal at 3:13. The Engineers came flying back, and before the power play was over, Huhtamaki scored the equalizer off an assist from Taylor Mahoney (Cary, IL / Chicago Mission). Renssealer outshot the Tigers, 9-4, in the stanza, but were unable to find the back of the net again, sending the game to overtime.

A close-fought extra period saw no scores, giving the Engineers their first tie in ECAC play, while Princeton picked up its second tie against an ECAC foe.

For the game, Rensselaer outshot Princeton, 32-15, and held a 34-31 advantage in faceoffs. Brianna Piper (Oakville, ON / Toronto Jr. Aeros) got the decision between the pipes for the Engineers, making five saves. Starter Kelly O'Brien (Sussex, WI / Madison Capitals) stopped four shots in just over 43 minutes in goal. Kimberly Newell (Vancouver, BC / Kootney Ice) recorded 28 saves for Princeton, including 12 in the second period.

RPI will return to action on Friday, hosting rival Union at 7pm in ECAC Hockey action.