In an extremely interesting game, at least from an Engineer perspective,
RPI defeated Harvard last night at the Fieldhouse by a score of 5-2. A
very disappointing crowd of only 3,030 (traditionally this game has been a
near sell-out) saw the Engineers overcome adversity to climb into a tie
for the ECAC lead.
Everyone in the Fieldhouse expected this was going to be a tough game.
The Engineers were facing a Harvard team that had destroyed them at Bright
Arena by a score of 6-1, and RPI would be furthered weakened by a depleted
defensive corps, the result of a game disqualification to Brian Tapper at
Saturday's Union stand-off, and an injured shoulder to George Murray. To
win would take strong goaltending and team defense, two items which became
the theme for the night's battle.
The game began with as ominous a start as could be envisioned: two quick
goals by Harvard, a seeming redux of the last Harvard encounter. At just
00:55 into the game Harvard's McDonald takes the puck down low and passes
out front to an unattended Ashlin Halfnight. Halfnight shoots it past an
unsettled Scott Prekaski for the initial score, with Sproule receiving the
third assist. On the very next shift, Chorodorow shoots an unscreened
shot at Prekaski, who drops a fat rebound in front to McDonald, who
deposits the puck for a 2-0 lead. Higdon receives the assist, at 1:21.
After 2:00 Prekaski's sheet had a nice tally of two shots, no saves. And
in fact the next five or six minutes saw the freshman goalie scrambling to
get himself back into the game. Harvard, not the most offensive-minded
team, exerted some pressure on the goalie. Prekaski continued to give up
rebounds, some of them right out front, but Harvard never seemed to crowd
the front to get to the rebounds that were offered. The ineptness of the
Harvard attack, (and this is an observation you wouldn't gain from only
looking at the shot totals) saw Prekaski's confidence grow, and his
lateral movement increase to the point where Prekaski would become the
immovable barrier to the Crimson attack.
The Engineer forwards also had something to do with the changing tide.
Coach Dan Fridgen, who this year is emerging as a fine game tactician,
shook up the lines moving Alain St. Hilaire down to the second line next
to JF Gosselin and Mark Murphy, and moving Pete Gardner back up to the
first line to center Eric Healy and Matt Garver. The moves will reap
dividends as both lines will later score, and, more importantly, the move
will allow Fridgen to move winger Dan Riva to defense to play as a fifth
defenseman. No Harvard goals were scored during Riva's playing time, so
the move obviously worked.
The Engineer forwards went to work after the quick Harvard scores. For
the second half of the period the Engineer forwards actually carried the
play, and eventually they would be rewarded with a series of power plays.
At 15:47 Craigen is whistled for interference, and RPI quickly takes
advantage of the power play. Gaining the face-off in the Harvard zone,
the puck goes to Murphy at the point who lets a slapper fly at
Prestifilippo. St. Hilaire apparently re-directs the puck (I couldn't see
it myself) and RPI scores its first goal at 15:55, Brownlee also receiving
as assist. RPI gets out of the period down only by a goal, with Harvard
"raining" 19 shots on Prekaski.
The second period again proves a bane to those late to their seats: at
just 10 seconds into the period JF Gosselin beats his man to the front of
the net and receives a pass from Murphy. This time it is Prestifilippo
who sees the puck go past him before he can settle down to play. St.
Hilaire receives the third assist, and in my mind merits the third star
for the game as his presence on the second line re-awoke Gosselin from the
slumber had had been in for most of the season.
The tying goal send the Engineers out to their best second period of the
season. For nearly 20 minutes the Engineers exerted relentless pressure
on Prestifilippo. And unlike many of the Crimson shots, RPI's were more
often of the high quality/crash the net type of affairs. At 4:25 the
Engineers go down on an NHL-style 3 on 2 which the Harvard goalie
miraculously stops. A questionable tripping call on Pete Gardner at 8:55
does little to impede the Engineer attack. As everyone by now must know
in the ECAC, Harvard has no power play. At times it almost seems like
Harvard plays a defensive power play to avoid any potential short handed
opportunities. On all of their man advantages Harvard would work to set
up in the RPI zone and then proceed to pass the puck around the perimeter,
often maintaining control for the majority of the power play. The only
thing missing was a shot and a screen. Prekaski's vision was never
blocked by a Harvard player, and he almost never had to worry about a
close-in shot.
Harvard's defense was also tested by the Engineer forwards throughout the
second, as Harvard would often lose its coverage down low allowing the
RPI forwards room to buzz the net. RPI was also aided by a "let 'em play"
style of officiating that let the Engineers use their size against
Harvard. A lot of penalties could have been called on both teams, but to
their credit the Shea team allowed a more physical game, but one which
never degenerated into fights and thuggery.
RPI's buzz the net strategy would directly result in the go-ahead and game
winning goal. At 17:55 Gosselin skates the puck directly across the
crease and Prestifilippo, left naked by the Harvard D, trips Gosselin to
the ice. On the ensuing power play the old number one line takes charge
as St. Hilaire sends a hot pass cross-crease to Matt Garver, who makes
the picture finish sending the puck into the unguarded corner. Healy
receives the second assist. A half minute later RPI again crams the puck
in front of Prestifilippo, and a scrum pushes the puck repeatedly at the
goal. The goalie is unable to tie up the puck and Caley finally pushes
the puck into the net, with Battaglia picking up the assist, at 18:22.
RPI now takes a 4-2 lead, and, as most Engineer fans now know, that spells
a win, since the third period is almost always RPI's to control.
To Harvard's credit, the team comes out in the third intent on scoring,
and Tomissoni (sp?) opens up the Harvard attack. The third period sees
Prekaski turn away his most shots of the night, and eye-popping 27,
leading to a game total of 64. While I am not about to downgrade
Prekaski's performance, (well, I guess I am) many of the shots IMHO were
scorer gifts (the shot inflation in Houston Fieldhouse is a fact of life)
and weak Harvard attempts that nicked the corner of the net, or even
travelled the length of the ice, avoiding icing calls. Prekaski's play in
the third was a statement of confidence however. His positioning was
virtually flawless, although again Harvard didn't show much creativity at
the angle of attack. Prekaski's catching glove also was omnipresent,
especially on the high top shelf attempts that Harvard liked on their
power play opportunities.
At 7:20 Prekaski makes a miraculous save on a Harvard shot which goes off
his chest, and into the air. Prekaski loses sight of the puck and in
desperation sticks out his elbow deflecting the puck away from the goal.
At 15:43 linesman Dell is checked over the boards into the penalty box,
much to the bemusement of the crowd, but for Harvard, that was probably
the only highlight. Unable to even get an extra skater on ice until the
last 40 seconds, Harvard never exerts the pressure necessary to solve
Prekaski. The 27 attempts generated at least 15 rebounds, but Harvard
skaters could never pick up the puck to get off a second shot. At 19:26
Shepherd gains the puck in the center zone and skates down ice for an easy
empty net goal at 19:27, closing out the scoring, with Battaglia and Caley
receiving gift assists.
The few at the Fieldhouse are rewarded with a very satisfying win, and
the Engineer team is left to savor a well designed game. Dan Fridgen is
now showing he can work with his hand-picked group of underclassman and
impress a more defensive style of play. Coupled with his recruiting
talent, which has apparently brought in a freshman class with growing
quality, Fridgen is now granted the chance to coach a team that is a
viable contender for the ECAC Championship. Tonight Fridgen gets the
chance to show off his front running team to a screaming (hopefully)
Houston Fieldhouse at the annual Big Red Fieldhouse. The game at 7:00
against Brown should be an emotional one for the Engineers.
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Brian Morris RPI Engineers--Big and Nasty
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