On Saturday night before a crowd of 2,273 at Thompson, Pete Gardiner's goal 2:14 into overtime vaulted the Engineers to a 4-3 win over the Big Green. Just moments earlier, the Green had been clinging to a 3-2 lead late in the third and looked as if they would upset the high-powered Engineers.

But Matt Garver tied the score at 3-3 with 40 seconds left in regulation, and then RPI, benefiting from some open ice in the extra session, stunned the Big Green with the game winner.

Gaudet, visibly frustrated after the game, lamented, "I thought we outplayed them from start to finish ... We had them on the mat and we didn't finish them."

The loss was particularly bitter for the Green because they had effectively shut down the high-powered RPI offense and made the Engineers play a Dartmouth-style game. The Green outshot the Engineers 19-7 in the third period and completely shut down Rensselaer -- except when it mattered, at the very end of that period.

Gardiner's game-winner came off a nice play from speedy sophomore Steve Caley. Caley rushed down the right side into the Dartmouth zone, swooped in and put a shot on goal that was kicked aside by goalie Jason Wong '00. But Wong left a rebound in the crease, and Gardiner was able to drive to the net and poke it past the fallen Wong.

Engineers' Head Coach Dan Fridgen said Caley used his superior speed to drive to the net and, luckily for RPI, "the rebound was laying right there and Pete was in good position to knock it in."

The game wouldn't have headed into overtime had it not been for Garver's game-tying tally with 40 seconds left in the third.

With RPI goalie Scott Prekaski pulled for an extra attacker -- making it a 5-on-4 RPI advantage since both teams had players penalized for matching minors -- RPI was able to set up in the Dartmouth zone as if on a powerplay. Garver took a dish on the left side, skated in near the slot and beat Wong five-hole.

Whitworth had put the Green on top 3-2 with a nice goal with 2:07 left in regulation. Whitworth came in on his own down the right side and took a sneaky backhander that beat Prekaski high to the glove side.

Scoring was at a premium in the tight-checking game. Gardiner put RPI on top 1-0 with a backhander that beat Wong to the shortside at 3:49 of the first. But Sturgis tied it at 1-1 at 8:41 of the second with a turnaround shot from the top of the left circle that beat Prekaski to the shortside.

RPI again jumped on top at 3:22 of the second on a powerplay goal from defenseman Chris Aldous, but Matt Giedt '99 evened it at 18:12 of the second with a tricky shot that fooled Prekaski, deflecting off the goaltender and into the net, making it a 2-2 game.

Gaudet acknowledged that the loss "is a bitter pill to swallow," but said the Green still played a spirited game, and aside from a couple of mistakes, he has "nothing but positive things to say about our team" in terms of work ethic and discipline.