RPI sweeps at Yale/Brown to begin 2025
The Engineers jump to 8th in the league with 6 league points this weekend
It takes two to call it a streak! A much needed 6 points on the road gives the Engineers a big boost as they get started in the second half of league play. The big weekend has vaulted RPI all the way from 12th to 8th in the ECAC, and they will head to the North Country next week looking to continue the momentum.
Friday: 5-3 Win over Yale
RPI Goals:
Caron PPG (Gilson, McDermott)
Hotson (Lee, Tapper)
Bergmanis PPG (Hotson)
Brackett SHG (McNeil)
Lee ENG
Coming into the weekend, Yale was one of the only teams in the country where RPI’s special teams’ units could hold an advantage over. This was exactly how the game played out, as RPI went a perfect 2-for-2 on the power play, added a highlight reel shorthanded goal, and an empty netter for 4 goals that did not come at even strength. Yale holds the worst penalty kill in the country at 64.4%, which the Engineers capitalized on with powerplay tallies from Felix Caron and Arvils Bergmanis. The Engineers had a goal waived off 30 seconds into the game for goaltender interference, but it did not take long for Felix Caron to get them on the board for good. Caron’s goal that opened the scoring came from the left dot and showcased his highly anticipated one-timer. A beautiful feed from Jake Lee set up Tyler Hotson to make it 2-0 just 2 minutes later. The two teams traded goals until Jack Brackett batted a puck out of the air on a shorthanded 2-on-1 for one of the more impressive goals you will ever see. The Engineers locked it down after a Ronan O’Donnell goal for Yale made it 4-3, and Lee’s empty netter sealed the deal. The Engineers won the SOG battle 40-28 and legitimately controlled play for the majority of the night. RPI had not won on the road at Yale in the regular season since 2012, and it was a much-needed win because they figure to be competing with the Bulldogs in the standings for the rest of the season.
Saturday: 4-3 Win over Brown
RPI Goals:
Gagnon PPG (Gilson, McDermott)
Goffredo (Tapper)
Lee (Tapper)
Tapper ENG
RPI followed up its solid effort in New Haven with a 4-3 victory over Brown last night in Meehan Auditorium. A 3-point night for Jagger Tapper powered the Engineers as they started the 2nd half of league play in impressive fashion. Jake Gagnon opened the scoring on the powerplay with a redirect on a Will Gilson blast. Gilson continues to impress and establish himself as the true #1 D-man on the team. Jimmy Goffredo threw one through traffic for his 2nd of the year, before Dean Bauchiero scored on a broken play to cut the lead to 2-1. Brown would tie it at 2 on a Brian Nicholas tally but it was a Jake Lee goal that would put the Engineers in front. Jagger Tapper added an empty netter, and the Engineers hung on despite a late Brown goal to cut it to 4-3.
A Look at the ECAC
RPI has risen into a tie for 8th with Harvard, who they would be slated to host at the Houston Field House if the season ended today. This weekend gave RPI significant momentum in the league which they must use to their advantage. In my view, the top 6 and the bottom 6 are pretty clearly divided in the league this year. I can’t see RPI jumping anyone at Cornell’s level or higher, but a strong second half could get them to 7th in my opinion. It is very early and Union in particular had been struggling prior to this weekend, but I do think that top tier is fairly solidified. The Engineers need to bear down and build upon this weekend, they cannot control what happens above them. These two games were much closer to the identity the team hopes to play to, and that is without a number of their expected starters. This weekend was a big step in the right direction, and now two important games at SLU and Clarkson await them.