Alford, Rensselaer Shut Out Bentley, 4-0, in Season Opener

Courtesy of Bentley Sports Information

TROY, N.Y. - Senior Jordan Alford (Red Deer, Alberta) stopped all 16 shots he faced to record an opening night shutout and lead Rensselaer to a 4-0 win over Bentley in non-conference hockey action on Tuesday night at Houston Field House.

RPI lit the lamp first when senior Jonathan Ornelas (Mississauga, Ontario) took a shot from the right side that caught the goaltender's pads before deflecting in, thanks to assists from senior Andrew Lord (West Vancouver, British Columbia) and freshman Chase Polacek (Edina, Minn.).

Bentley had a chance to get on the board midway through the second when a penalty release coincided with a two-on-one breakaway, but an errant pass gave the puck back to the Engineers, who went the other way and scored when Ornelas sent a pass to junior Matt Angers-Goulet (St. Augustin, Quebec), who flicked a shot in from the right side. RPI added another about three minutes later with a goal from junior Andrei Uryadov (St. Petersburg, Russia) off a pass from freshman Tyler Helfrich (Calgary, Alberta). Uryadov struck again before the middle frame was through, banging in a shot from close range to make it a 4-0 lead for the Engineers.

Bentley had its best chance to end Alford's shutout bid late in the third when the Falcons picked off a pass and gave sophomore Jeff Gumaer (Webster Groves, Mo./Springfield Jr. Blues) a breakaway, but his shot was stuffed by the Engineers' netminder.

Junior Jason Kearney (Gibsonia, Pa./Soo Indians) made 41 saves between the pipes for the Falcons as RPI held a 45-16 advantage in shots on goal. Bentley was whistled for only four penalties while RPI sent seven men to the box, but neither side was able to capitalize on special teams situations.

The Falcons continue their season-opening stretch of four straight non-confernce road games with a trip to Hamden, Conn., to face No. 14 Quinnipiac on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. before the home opener on Friday, Oct. 26, against defending Atlantic Hockey champions Air Force at 7:05 p.m. at the Ryan Skating Arena in Watertown, Mass.

At Troy, N.Y.
RENSSELAER 4, BENTLEY 0

Bentley (0-1)                      0     0     0   --   0
Rensselaer (1-0)               1     3     0   --   4

1^st Period: R, Jonathan Ornelas (Andrew Lord, Chase Polacek) 6:07
2^nd Period: R, Matt Angers-Goulet (Ornelas) 4:27; R, Andrei Uryadov (Tyler Helfrich) 7:54; R, Uryadov (Angers-Goulet, Merth) 14:24
3^rd Period: no scoring

Saves: B, Jason Kearney 41; R, Jordan Alford 16
Shots: B 16, R 45
Penalties: B 4-8, R 7-14
Power Play: B 0-5, R 0-2