Maybe the young Engineers learn a lesson about championship hockey.  For 56
minutes they frustrated, even dominated a veteran Vermont team, still
smarting after the previous night's shutout compliments of Union's red hot
Trevor Koenig.
But for four minutes they played like the team that nearly made the final
game last year.  Vermont uses its grit to keep its championship dreams alive.
 RPI leanrs that to reach the upper echelon you have to commit for the full
60.
 
RPI had grinded to a 3-1 lead as the third period wound down.  For two and a
half periods the Engineers had forechecked, physically pushed Vermont around,
and kept Perrin and St. Louis away from goaltender Joel Laing.  But more was
demanded, despite all their previous hard work .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                          The
Engineers had rushed out of the gate in the first period seemingly intent on
putting the game away.  Only the consistent play of Tim Thomas kept Vermont
in the game as the Engineers actually out-sped, and out- hustled the
Catamounts.  In fact the lead could have been two goals except the first
Engineer goal, at just 47 seconds, was   waived off having entered the goal
off a high stick.  RPI went out on  top compliments of a Matt Garver  goal at
5:47 with assists from St. Hilaire and Healy.
 
And the second period ended with RPI clinging to its one goal lead.  Vermont
will score at 3:43 as  Lampron scores off a little pass and shoot from
Sanders, Karlander also with an assist.  The patient Engineers stay in their
defensive game plan, and get the goal back at 18:13.  Alain St. Hilaire
rushes down left wing with the puck but can't control to get the shot off.
 Taking the puck past the goal, he shovels it back out to the slot.
 Defenseman Chris Aldous, who seems to make more big plays every game, bulls
his way down from the point to grab the puck, and sends a centering pass to
Healy on the right.  Healy shoots a hard wrist shot that Thomas can't react
to in time.
 
And the third period sees the patient Engineers continue to stay in their
game plan.  In what may be one of the slowest third periods ever, the
Engineers continue to dump the puck in deep, clear the area in front of
Laing, and allow Laing to make the easy stops.  Guys like Eric Healy , who
lays tow mammoth checks in the first five minutes, keep the Catamounts from
plowing through the center zone with speed.  But the Catamounts also start to
play physically, especially since referee Murphy had swallowed his whistle
since midway in the second.  Play would get chippier and chippier as the
period wound down, but even when an actual fight broke out, the result of
Eric Perrin piling on Joel Laing, Murphy wouldn't call a penalty, to either
team.
 
The Engineers had extended their lead to 3-1 on a Doug Battaglia goal, who
took a hot Gosselin centering pass from behind the net, and deposited the
puck past a startled Tim Thomas, at 3:59.  The two goal cushion allows the
Engineers to play their slow, defensive game that holds up St. Louis and
Perrin from reaching the slot area.  This goes on for the next 13 minutes,
despite the fraying tempers and ugly play ensuing from the Murphy "let 'em
play" philosophy.  At 16:40 Murphy finally is obliged to use his whistle and
calls Vermont's Kilbourne for rough play.  But Vermont, understanding what
kind of game to play, immediately strikes, while skating short-handed.
 Goading the Engineer forwards to make the mistake, they relentlessly
forecheck, sending the puck all the way behind the RPI goal.  Eric Healy goes
back to start the break-out, but instead coughs up the puck to Piche.  Piche
centers the puck and hits Lundin streaking down the slot, who deposits the
puck past Laing., at 16:40.
 
And the Catamounts weren't done yet.  The Catmounts physically  manhandle the
Engineers for the remainder of the power play, even dumping 6'5" Pete
Gardiner so hard that it took him two minutes to regain his feet.  The
contest being what it is will see Gardiner exact his revenge in the overtime
with a nasty slash, another no-call, which the Engineer bench re-lived on the
instant replay from the Empire Network broadcast.  Vermont climaxes its
effort by tying the game as Eric Perrin wiggles free in the slot.  Piche goes
down the right side with speed, and slides the puck to Perrin who beats Laing
on a quick low shot to the corner.. St. Louis receiving the other assist, at
18:23.
 
The remaining minute and a half sees Vermont keep the struggling Engineers
away from Thomas.  And the five minute overtime is fought to a draw, with
Pete Gardiner missing an open net early on, and Vermont dominating in the RPI
zone for the last two minutes.
 
The Engineers will see their mettle tested again next weekend as
underachieving Colgate, and first place Cornell travel to Houston Fieldhouse.
 At this point in the season Clarkson seems to have hit the groove, and
should be considered the favorite to finish first in the ECAC, and grab the
automatic bid to the NC$$ Tourney.  Clarkson has only one tough game
remaining, at Cornell on the last Friday of the season.  The Engineers are
still in the hunt however, but will need to turn up their play next weekend
if they are serious about making it a race to the finish.
***************************************************************
Brian Morris                                  RPI Engineers--Big and Nasty
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