Union men's hockey salvages Capital Skates series, blanking RPI in Game 2

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Union College men's hockey team kept the Capital Skates Trophy in Schenectady after a 3-0 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday afternoon at the Houston Field House. 

First-year Alex Laurenza netted his first collegiate goal and sophomore Cameron Korpi saved all 12 shots he faced, as the Garnet Chargers (5-1-1, 1-1-0 ECACH) shut out RPI (1-7-0, 1-1-0 ECACH) for the ninth time, avenging Friday's 5-2 loss to the Engineers.

Union earned a power-play early on in the first period and registered three shots against RPI's goaltender Nate Krawchuk, who had made 45 in Game 1. While Union went scoreless during its first chance on the man advantage, the Garnet Chargers dominated play through the opening 10 minutes of the first. RPI barely possessed the puck in its offensive zone and only had one shot attempted by the time Union recorded its 12th shot on goal. 

Union's intensity paid off by the 12:01 mark, as Laurenza buried a rebound during another power-play. His first collegiate score was assisted by sophomores Will Felicio and Drew Sutton. The Woodbridge, Ontario forward is the second Union rookie to score his first career goal on the power-play in as many games.

Laurenza's tally also marked Union's seventh power-play goal in the last five outings. The Garnet Chargers are now riding a five-game streak where they have scored on the man-advantage, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat since scoring seven power-play goals over a stretch of five games in February of the 2023-'24 season.

Union killed off its second penalty to begin the second period. The Garnet Chargers survived all three of RPI's power plays in the game and have successfully killed 20 penalties in a row dating back to their season-opener against Army on Oct. 4. 

It seemed Union would be facing another penalty at the 13:12 mark of the second when first-year Etienne Lessard was called for interference, but head coach Josh Hauge challenged the play, and RPI was charged a five-minute major along with Lessard's infraction. After both teams went without a shot during the four-on-four, Union put three more shots on Krawchuk, but could not extend the lead during the three-minute man advantage. 

Not only did RPI not register a shot during the four-on-four, but the Engineers did not put a shot on frame for 12:32 of game play spanning from the second period to the 4:47 mark of the third. The Garnet Chargers responded to the Engineers' first shot in over half a period by doubling their lead. Senior Nick Young intercepted the puck while skating backwards into Union's defensive zone, and connected on a long pass to senior Brandon Buhr, who buried a wrist shot for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Buhr has scored at least one point in five of the last six games. 

Union has won all five of those games in which Buhr has scored. It was also Union's ninth win when coming off a loss since the beginning of the 2024-25 season. Junior Tyler Dunbar put the finishing touches on Union's 3-0 victory with an empty-net goal in the last six seconds. His goal traveled nearly the length of the ice, beginning from the right circle in front of Korpi.

Korpi's second shutout of the season helped improve his goals-against average to 1.57. It's the best GAA in the conference from any goaltender with at least three starts. 

The Garnet Chargers return home Friday, Nov. 8, for a matchup with Clarkson at 7 p.m.