TROY, N.Y. – Freshman Jesper Ohrvall scored the first two goals of his collegiate career to help the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s hockey team to a 5-1 victory over Arizona State University, on Friday at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Engineers improve to 9-6-3 overall, while the Sun Devils drop to 5-9-0.
RPI scored two goals in quick succession, in the first period, to open up a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Drew Melanson (Paramus, NJ/Waterloo Black Hawks) got loose in the slot and ripped a shot into the top right corner of the net at 9:33, before junior Riley Bourbonnais (Rochester, NY/Lincoln Stars) stuck home a rebound, just 15 seconds later. Senior Zach Schroeder picked up assists on both goals.
Ohrvall (Halmstad, Sweden/Fairbanks Ice Dogs) made it 3-0 at 6:50 of the second, scoring the lone goal in the second stanza. Sophomore Kenny Gillespie (Morrisville, NC/Jersey Hitmen) had only the assist.
Junior Jake Wood (Georgetown, ON/Lincoln Stars) buried a rebound at 5:10 of the third to make it a 4-0 lead for the Engineers. A shot from the point by classmate Parker Reno (Edina, MN/Edina) was steered on goal by senior Mark Miller (Massena, NY/Omaha Lancers), but Arizona State freshman netminder Ryand Pashovitz (Saskatoon, SK/Des Moines Buccaneers) was able to make the stop. The puck fell to Wood, which tapped it home for his sixth goal of the season.
The Sun Devils broke onto the board with a power play goal at 14:00 of the third period. Freshman Joey Raats (Las Vegas, NV/Sioux Falls Stampede) scored on a one-time feed from classmate Joe Lappin (Gevena, IL/Lincoln Stars), just outside the crease for second goal of the year.
Ohrvall then capped the scoring at 17:27, fitting the puck between the legs of Pashovitz for his second of the night. Helpers went to senior Travis Fulton (Oakville, ON/Vaughan Vipers) and Reno.
Pashovitz finished with 40 saves, while RPI senior netminder Jason Kasdorf (Winnipeg, MB/Des Moines Buccaneers) had 22 at the other end of the ice.
OHRVALL GETS TWO:
After going 16 games without a goal to start his career at RPI, freshman Jesper Ohrvall scored twice against Arizona State.
FIRST MEETING:
The Engineers won the first ever meeting with the Sun Devils on Friday night.
SHORTHANDED STREAK SNAPPED:
Joey Raat scored a power play goal for ASU in the third period, breaking a streak of 16 consecutive penalties killed by the Engineers.
UP NEXT:
Both teams are back in action tomorrow night for game two the series. Puck drop is set for 7pm.
