TROY, N.Y. – Jakob Lee scored 3:51 into overtime to lift Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute over Minnesota State 4-3 Friday night in non-conference men's hockey at Houston Fieldhouse. The Mavericks scored a pair of power play goals and ended a long shorthanded drought but still fell short in their first matchup against the Engineers since 2012.
 
Minnesota State (7-8-2, 5-4-1 CCHA) dropped to 1-2-2 in extra time this season and meets RPI (3-10-1, 2-4-0 ECAC) again Saturday at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+ before heading into the holiday break.
 
A power play early in the second period provided MSU's first opportunity to score. After cycling the puck at the top of the zone Steven Bellini snuck down from the right point and opened up for a right-handed one-timer, his second tally of the season at 2:02 with assists from Kaden Bohlsen and Brian Carrabes.
 
Just 1:51 later, Tyler Hotson shot high from the right point for his fourth goal of the year for RPI after a flurry of shots in front resulted in multiple uncleared rebounds.
 
Lauri Sertti made it 2-1 RPI when his point wrister found its way through traffic past a screened Alex Tracy at 11:26. The Engineers took a one-goal lead into the final period ahead in shots 24-15.
 
Minor penalties helped stymie the Mavericks early in the third period, though the visitors did earn scoring chances. Sam Morton was hooked on a short-handed breakaway and Evan Murr edged around two defenders but rang iron off the crossbar.
 
Lucas Sowder scored to tie it 2-2 after a smooth passing play to re-enter the offensive zone with Jordan Steinmetz and Jordan Power at 8:53. It was the Minnesota State's first shorthanded goal since Brendan Furry (Oct. 30, 2021), ending more than two years of deficiency. 
 
The Engineers grabbed the lead back less than a minute later. Tracy made two successive saves but a third rebound into the high slot found the stick of Dovar Tinling for the power play tally.
 
Josh Groll evened it again for the Mavericks after he dropped to one knee and one-timed Sowder's pass from the left corner, another power play goal.
 
Brandon Koch was sent off for hooking with one minute left in regulation and the Engineers hit the far post before the horn.
 
After a successful penalty kill, the Mavericks earned their own overtime power play after Lee was called for tripping. But it was Lee who tapped in the game-winner for RPI less than a minute after re-entering the contest.
 
"We didn't have 60-plus minutes of consistency," said Maverick head coach Luke Strand. "We need to get inside to create more even strength scoring opportunities. At the end of the day, we have to be able to prevent their power play from scoring. RPI played a strong team game to earn the win."
 
Minnesota State finished 2-4 on the power play while RPI converted 2-5. The Engineers won the faceoff battle 35-30 and led 36-29 in shots on goal. Brett Miller made 26 saves for RPI while Tracy finished with 32 saves for MSU.