SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College men's hockey team and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute combined for 14 goals, the most in the series in Union's Division I era, but it was the visiting Engineers that came away victorious as the Garnet Chargers fell 8-6 on Friday night at Messa Rink.

Seven Union players had multi-point games. Sophomore Ethan Benz led the way for Union with his first two collegiate goals. Senior Tyler Watkins, senior Ville Immonen, junior Caden Villegas, sophomore John Prokop, and sophomore Nate Hanley all recorded two assists apiece in the loss. Junior Josh Nixon scored a goal and added a helper. Sophomore Brandon Buhr registered his first collegiate goal while senior Liam Robertson and senior Chaz Smedsrud each added a goal on the powerplay.

The Capital District rivals combined for four goals in the opening frame. The Engineers struck first less than a minute into the game. A turnover in the Union end saw Jake Gagnon fire one past sophomore goaltender Kyle Chauvette. Union was able to kill off a five-minute major a few minutes into the frame to keep it a one-goal game. Jeremie Payant scored from the slot to give RPI a 2-0 lead. Nixon made a great backwards pass to Benz alone in front who ripped it home for his first collegiate goal. The Engineers tacked on one more from Altti Nykanen for a 3-1 lead.

Four goals in the first period wasn't enough as the teams combined for six goals in the middle stanza. The Engineers made it a 4-1 game at 6:38 of the second period. Chauvette made a pad save on a shot in front by Jakub Lee, but the RPI senior collected his own rebound and slipped it past Chauvette's left skate. Union responded a short time later with a power-play goal from Robertson. Watkins sent a pass from the left circle to Robertson on the doorstep to cut the lead to two. Benz made it a one-goal game less than two minutes later with his second tally of the game. The Engineers potted two more to retake the two-goal lead, but Union battled back with a power-play goal by Buhr. Prokop sent a shot from high in the slot and Buhr redirected it home for his first collegiate goal.

A quiet third period was not in the cards as the teams added a goal each in the final frame. Union pulled within one to make it a 7-6, taking advantage of a powerplay to start the period and Smedsrud capitalized to make it a one-goal game. A pass in front by Prokop to Smedsrud in the center of the left-wing circle saw the senior fire it past Watson for the score. A five-minute major put Union on the penalty kill, but they could not convert. Coming out of a timeout, Union pulled Reid for the extra attacker, but the Engineers scored an empty-netter with 37 seconds remaining to ice the game.

Chauvette made 15 saves in 36:21 of game time. Sophomore Aksel Reid made his collegiate debut in relief, making four stops in 21:39 of ice time. Watson made 30 saves for his first win of the season.

Union looks to split the season series tomorrow at Houston Field House. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.