Box Score

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.