TROY, N.Y. - Hosts Rensselaer advanced to the championship game of the 59th Annual RPI Holiday Tournament with a 5-2 win over the Bentley University hockey team on Friday night at Houston Field House. The Falcons will play Lake Superior State in the consolation game Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
Freshman Joel Malchuk scored two goals for the Engineers, who advance to the finals of their own tournament for the first time since the 2007-08 season. RPI also avenges last season's 4-3 defeat in overtime to Bentley in the process. They will play Union in the finals, which defeated Lake Superior 1-0 in a shootout.
The Engineers grabbed an early first period lead on a power play goal by junior Chase Polacek, his 10th of the year. Freshman Brandon Pirri set the play up by feeding a pass to Polacek in the near side face-off circle. Polacek then one-timed Pirri's pass into the back of the net for a 1-0 RPI lead at 8:03.
The hosts then went up 2-0 at the tail end of the first period on a goal by Malchuk, his first of the year. Bentley goalie Kyle Rank (Islip, N.Y./Markham Waxers) made the initial save on a shot from the left face-off circle by Scott Halpern, but the rebound came loose, allowing Malchuk to crash the net from the far post and put the rebound into an open net.
RPI added on to its lead in the second period, getting two goals in a span of 48 seconds from freshman Jerry D'Amigo and Malchuk.
After gaining possession of the puck, D'Amgio started a two-on-two rush into Bentley's zone. Instead of passing though, D'Amigo drove in on net himself and from Rank's glove side, flipped a backhand shot on net that deflected in for a 3-0 Engineers lead at 12:08.
Just 48 seconds later Malchuk tallied his second of the game to give RPI a 4-0 lead.
The Falcons though got one back minutes later on a goal by senior defenseman Bobby Preece (Bonita Springs, Fla./Fargo-Moorhead Jets). Preece took a slap shot from the point that got through the traffic in front of the net and past RPI goalie Bryce Merriam for his second goal of the season at 15:31.
Bentley then made it a two-goal game in the third period after sophomore Jamie Nudy (West Chester, Pa./Choate Rosemary Hall) scored short-handed. Nudy scored on a breakaway after Polacek couldn't keep the puck in Bentley's zone, allowing it to slide down to the other end of the ice. Nudy chased down the loose puck and beat Merriam to the stick side, making the score 4-2 with just over 14 minutes to play.
The Engineers though regained their three-goal lead minutes later on a goal by sophomore Alex Angers-Goulet. Senior Paul Kerins set the goal up by putting the puck on net from the blue line, and Angers-Goulet was in front of the net to Rank's stick side to tip the puck in.
Merriam made 15 saves to earn the win, his second of the season.
Saturday's game between the Falcons and Lakers will be the first meeting ever between the two teams.
