Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Sophomore Corey Carlson (Two Harbors, MI/Omaha Lancers) scored two first period power play goals to lead #13 Vermont to a 3-0 victory over Rensselaer in the opening round of the Sheraton /TD Banknorth Catamount Cup at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

RPI falls to 5-6-6 and plays area-rival Union in Saturday’s third-place game at 4pm.  With the win, the Catamounts improve to 11-5-1 and advance to play #6 St. Cloud State in the championship game at 7pm.

The Catamounts jumped out on top at 4:34 of the first period when Carlson deflected a low Mark Lutz (Stevens Point, WI/Soo Indians) shot past Rensselaer goaltender Mathias Lange (Klagenfurt, Austria/New York Apple Core). Lutz, who collected a pass from the right point from senior Kenny Macaulay (Baddeck, NS/Univ. of Findlay), took a hard shot from the top of the slot that was redirected in by Carlson.

Carlson doubled Vermont’s lead when he tallied on a wristshot in a scramble in front of the RPI net for his fourth goal of the season. Senior Chris Myers (South Boston, MA/Salisbury School) took a shot from the right circle which rebounded to Carlson, who sent two shots at Lange, breaking through on the second effort. Lutz earned the secondary assist on the goal.

In the second stanza, both goaltenders made key saves to keep the game close. Lange posted 11 stops in the period, which included a Catamount 2-on-1 midway through the frame.

RPI, which outshot the Catamounts, 10-7, in the third period, kept the pressure up with four of its 10 shots coming off the stick of sophomore Andrei Uryadov (St. Petersburg, Russia/South Kent), but Vermont’s Dean Strong (Mississauga, ON/Vernon Vipers) added an empty-net goal at 19:42 to seal the victory.

Junior Joe Fallon (Bemidji, MN/Cedar Rapids Rough Riders) earned the win in goal, stopping 21 shots. Lange finished with 22 saves.