ALBANY, N.Y. - Senior goaltender Jordan Alford (Red Deer,
AB/Canmore Eagles) stopped all 21 shots he faced and Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute (RPI) made its two first period goals stand
up in defeating Colgate University, 2-0, in the championship game
of the Citizens Bank Governor's Cup at the Times Union Center.
Rensselaer, which successfully defended its tournament
championship, improves to 5-2-0, including a four-game winning
streak. Colgate, which lost to RPI in last year's finals, falls to
3-3-0.
Alford, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the
tournament, finished with five saves in the first period, nine in
the second and seven in the third to post his second consecutive
shutout and third of the season. Teammate Jonathan Ornelas
(Mississauga, ON/Milton IceHawks) was also named to the
All-Tournament Team.
Rensselaer held its 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by
Peter Merth (New Westminster, BC/Burnaby Express) and Andrei
Uryadov (St. Petersburg, Russia/South Kent).
Merth, a sophomore defenseman, tallied the first goal of his
collegiate career when he sent a wrist shot from the top of the
right circle through a screen and past Colgate netminder Mark
Dekanich (North Vancouver, BC). Merth's goal, which came at 7:28,
was set up by Paul Kerins (Weston, ON/North York Rangers) and Ben
Contini (Toronto, ON/North York Rangers).
Uryadov doubled RPI's lead at 18:18 when his backhander was slipped
through Dekanich and landed just over the goal line. Freshmen
forwards Chase Polacek (Edina, MN/Academy of Holy Angels) and Tyler
Helfrich (Calgary, AB/Prince George Spruce Kings) earned the
assists.
The Raiders had several solid opportunities in the first frame,
including two by senior Jesse Winchester (Long Sault, ON), who hit
the post on two separate occasions in the first frame. Colgate also
had a five-minute power play, on which they could not convert.
Dekanich finished with 14 saves.
Citizens Bank Governor's Cup All-Tournament Team
Forward: Brock McBride, St. Lawrence
Forward: Jonathan Ornelas, Rensselaer
Forward: Tyler Burton, Colgate
Defense: Zack Miskovic, St. Lawrence
Goaltender: Jordan Alford, Rensselaer
Most Outstanding Player: Jordan Alford, Rensselaer
