ECAC Hockey: RPI goaltending tandem provides hope

Owen Savory has made at least 40 saves in his last two starts and 30 or more in six straight. (ECAC Hockey)

In sophomore Linden Marshall and freshman Owen Savory, Rensselaer has a pair of goaltenders playing well right now as it looks to make a quick trip up the ECAC Hockey standings.

RPI has played in six consecutive games decided by two goals or fewer, finally coming out on the right side of the score in one of those games with last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Army West Point. Marshall made eight of his 27 saves in the third period to earn that win and has now stopped 53 of the 57 shots he’s faced in his last two games.

All but one of Savory’s seven starts and nine appearances have come since November. The freshman from Guelph, Ontario, trails only Quinnipiac’s Andrew Shortridge with his .929 save percentage in the ECAC this season as he has made at least 40 saves in his last two starts and 30 or more in six straight.

“It’s been great to see,” RPI head coach Dave Smith said after last Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss at Harvard. “Both (Savory) and Linden Marshall have really battled hard for us. Tonight was a night you’d like to get a point for Owen’s effort and all of our hard effort. … Their skill can put you on your heels so it was a challenge to keep going, but if it was a breakdown I thought Owen played pretty well.”