Men's Hockey Deep Sixes RPI, 6-4

Saturday, December 2

Troy, N.Y.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

4-5-1, 4-3-1

RPI

2-9-1, 2-4-0

Princeton

Rensselaer

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

December 02, 2023 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Princeton bounced back to close out a weekend road trip with a 6-4 win over RPI at Houston Field House to improve to 4-3-1 inside the ECAC and 4-5-1 overall this season.

Brendan Gorman had a career-high three assists in the game, while Adam Robbins, Jack Cronin, David Jacobs and Jaxson Ezman each had two-point games. All total, 11 different skaters had at least one point.

Artrhur Smith made 29 saves in the win.

Princeton snapped a three-game losing streak with the win, also ending a run of 399:09 of game play dating back to the Yale game where the Tigers were either tied or trailing during a game. Surprisingly, the Tigers were still 3-4-0 during that run, winning three games in overtime before gaining a lead in regulation when Adam Robbins scored a power-play goal 7:03 into the second period.

Powering Up!

Adam Robbins hammers home a rebound for our 1st PPG of the period! pic.twitter.com/dfQD8IptFX
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 3, 2023

The Tigers staked the Engineers to a 1-0 lead after one period of play when Dovar Tinling tucked home a power-play goal with 1:57 left in the opening frame.

Princeton would rebound in the second, scoring three times to build a 3-2 lead after 40:00.

Nick Marciano got the Tigers on the board with his first goal of the season 1:31 into the middle period, jumping in on an odd-man rush and stuffing home the rebound of his own shot to tie the game at 1-1.

Second Effort = Second Career Goal!

Nick Marciano follows his rebound and we're tied at RPI, 1-1! pic.twitter.com/P2ilZ1ry8q
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 3, 2023

Adam Robbins would give the Tigers a 2-1 lead 7:03 into the second period with a power-play goal. Noah de la Durantaye sent the original offering towards goal, and it deflected off Jaxson Ezman to Robbins who was open off the left post to slap home the rebound.

The lead didn't last long, though, as RPI countered with a power-play goal of its own 1:04 later off the stick of Austin Heidemann. After an attempted Princeton clear ricocheted off a RPI player and stayed in the zone, eventually the puck worked to Heidemann in the slot for a quick redirection to tie the game at 2-2.

Princeton regained the lead 1:20 later when David Jacobs went to the dirty area and roofed a loose puck for a power-play goal of his own. Brendan Gorman flipped a shot towards the net that Jack Cronin got a piece off before Jacobs swooped in to scoop the rebound up and over Brett Miller's shoulder for a 3-2 lead after two periods.

Davey J Drives To The Net!

Pile up in front and David Jacobs finds the loose puck and roofs it for a 3-2 lead! pic.twitter.com/LGo79XWjmh
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 3, 2023

The third period was a back-and-forth frame as two teams in need of a regulation win fought to the final seconds.

Tyler Rubin scored on an odd-man rush 5:40 into the period to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead, tracking a pass into the mixer from Adam Robbins and roofing the rebound under the crossbar.

Using All 200 Feet!

Great work at one end leads to an odd-man rush at the other and a pretty finish from @tyrubin97!@NCAAIceHockey | @ecachockey pic.twitter.com/h84cLm3R4f
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 3, 2023

RPI got back within one with a Brad McNeil goal with 7:14 remaining, but Princeton answered less than a minute later with a laser from Jack Cronin 0:35 later to regain an important two-goal lead. Kai Daniells started the play with a subtle pass through the legs to David Jacobs who funneled an aerial pass by a RPI defenseman and into space for Cronin to corral and rip off the far post and in.

Jack the Ripper!

Cronin snaps one off the post and in for our 5th goal of the night!@ecachockey | @NCAAIceHockey pic.twitter.com/P19WlKZZ9A
— Princeton Men's Ice Hockey (@princetonhockey) December 3, 2023

The see saw swung back towards RPI for a moment when Tyler Hotson scored off a bad bounce up the stick of Smith with 5:40 to go, but the Tigers dialed up staunch defense the rest of the way – including one final penalty kill with 3:00 to go – and ice the game with a long-distance goal off the stick of Joe Berg with 0.2 seconds left in regulation.