RPI outshoots Harvard, falls 6-3 to Crimson
TROY, NY » Sophomore Casey Dornbach netted his first career hat trick to lead the No. 10 Harvard University men’s hockey team to a 6-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Friday night at the Houston Field House.
With the win, the Crimson improve to 6-0 overall (6-0 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 4-6-1 (2-4-1 ECAC Hockey).
Dornbach netted a goal in each period to complete the hat trick, including a first period penalty shot, after junior Henry Bowlby opened the scoring just 54 seconds in. Dornbach drew the penalty shot when he jumped on a pass in behind the RPI defense and was hooked. He skated in from the left side and beat RPI sophomore goaltender Owen Savory glove side to make it 2-0 at 2:26 of the opening stanza.
RPI answered two and a half minutes later, when freshman Cory Babichuk netted his first collegiate goal from the high slot. Senior Mike Gornall drove into the zone on the left side, before sending a rink wide pass to sophomore Brady Ferner. Babichuk then stepped into a feed from Ferner and ripped a shot home off the crossbar.
Senior Chase Zieky brought the hosts even at 10:12 of the first after classmate Jake Marrello stole the puck behind the Harvard net. Zieky found some room the left of the cage and Marrello found him for the one-time finish – netting his team-leading fifth goal of the year.
Harvard retook the lead at 3-2 with under two minutes to play in the first, as sophomore Baker Shore stuck home a rebound on his backhand from just left of the crease. His first of the year drew helpers from senior Colton Kerfoot and freshman John Farinacci.
Six minutes into the third, the Engineers tied the game once again, as senior Todd Burgess finished off a sharp passing play on the rush. Sophomore Ture Linden found senior captain Will Reilly just across the blue line on the right side, who sent a one-time pass to Burgess on the doorstep. After his first chance was denied, Burgess was able to flip in a second effort for his third of the season.
Dornbach gave the visitors back the lead at 4-3 with under four minutes to play in the second. On the power play, junior Jack Drury (Scituate, MA/ South Shore) sent a pass to junior Reilly Walsh in the low slot. Walsh sent a feed the left side of the net for Dornbach, who rifled home his second of the night.
Just 3:05 into the third, Dornbach completed the hat trick and gave Harvard a 5-3 advantage. Freshman Abruzzese found Dornbach with a short pass after the Crimson forced an offensive zone turnover.
Senior Frederic Gregoire capped the scoring with a breakaway tally at 7:17 of the final frame. The unassisted marker was his first of the season.
RPI outshot the Crimson, 40-25, on the night, with the face-off totals even at 35-apiece. Senior goaltender Cameron Gornet earned the victory in relief of Mitchell Gibson, who was forced to leave the game with an injury in the second period. Gornet made 22 saves on 23 shots over the final 38:08 to improve to 3-00. Savory (3-5-1) had 19 stops at the other end of the ice.
Harvard finished 1 for 3 on the power play, while the Engineers went 0 for 3, including a brief 5-on-3 chance in the second period.
Rensselaer returns to action tomorrow night, when they travel to Canisius College (7:35pm). The Crimson host Boston College on Friday (7pm).