I watched the replay of this game yesterday, won by BU, 5-1.  First, for those
curious about the penalty situation - especially between two teams as physical
as these two - here's what happened:
 
* Game time 2:25
* Penalties: 19 minors for 38 min (12 called in first period)
* 43 of 60 minutes played 5x5
* 11 stretches of 5x5 play lasting longer than one minute
* 5 stretches of 5x5 play lasting longer than four minutes (longest 9:08)
 
Of the 12 minors called by Ned Bunyon in the first, 9 came during two
separate skirmishes near each net.  The first period was very physical,
sometimes bordering on cheap, with few quality scoring chances.  The rest of
the game was just as physical, with several rock 'em hits delivered by both
sides, but it was a lot cleaner.
 
BU again impressed me as they did against Team USA, but while RPI's offense
was sputtering at best, as expected, it was the Engineers' highly touted
defense (7 returnees) that lost them the game.  All of the Terriers' 5
goals can be attributed to some sort of breakdown on the part of the defense.
Neil Little sparkled as usual in the RPI net, although his counterpart,
Scott Cashman, was even better for BU.
 
Here's what happened on the goals.
 
BU1, 1st, 3:08: Freshman John Lilley controlled the puck off the draw, fed
  Mike Pomichter and went to the net; RPI D collapsed towards the net,
  allowing Lilley to get in tight, and he jammed in a return pass from
  Pomichter.  PPG
RPI1, 1st, 7:43: 2 seconds into a power play, Kelly Askew carried up the
  right side and fed Craig Hamelin at the top of the right circle.  Hamelin
  pulled up and wristed one under the cross-bar to Cashman's glove side as
  Cashman had started drifting to the other side of the net.  Robitaille
  also assisted.
BU2, 1st, 9:38: Pomichter walked in and tried to stuff it, Little stopped
  him but couldn't tie it up.  RPI's D couldn't control Dave Dahlberg who
  sneaked in and whacked the puck into the net.  Nick Vachon also assisted.
BU3, 2nd, 10:04: On the power play, David Sacco set up behind Little and
  spotted D Tom Dion moving towards the net.  Sacco fed Dion who one-timed
  it by Little.  Koskimaki also assisted.  In between periods, Dion said
  that he and Sacco had noticed that this play was available on an earlier
  PP.  They would try it again three consecutive times on a third-period PP,
  but Dion shot it wide each time.  I don't know how long it was going to take
  for RPI to figure out what was going on.
BU 4, 2nd, 17:08: Sacco walked in and was forced wide, but he drew Little out
  and down.  Sacco had no shot, holding the puck behind the goal line, but
  Mike Bavis was headed to the net untouched.  Sacco flipped it over Little
  and Bavis calmly slapped it in.
BU 5, 3rd, 8:01: Doug Friedman knocked the RPI D off the puck behind the net,
  then headed to the front as Jon Pratt swooped in and picked it up.  The
  weak side D didn't pick up Friedman and he was left alone to slam in Pratt's
  feed.
 
On power plays, RPI was a miserable 1 for 8 and BU was 2 for 3.  However,
the Engineers did start moving the puck out of their own end well on the
last couple of advantages which was a plus, at least.  Credit BU's tenacious
forechecking.  After the rough stuff of the first period, BU played solid
physical hockey which will be the key to their success this year.  Dahlberg,
Pratt, and Lilley led the way.
 
Shots, only given through the first two periods, were RPI 16 BU 15, but
many of RPI's shots came from the blue line.  The Engineers are missing 9 of
their top 10 scorers from last season, and no returning forward had more
than 5 goals last year.  BU could at least boast established scorers Sacco
and Koskimaki, along with fantastic freshmen Lilley & Pomichter.
 
Also,
 
* In a pregame ceremony, the 1991 Hockey East and Beanpot Championship
  banners were raised by BU students in tribute to the Terriers' "7th Player",
  the student fans.  This was a nice touch.
 
* BU wore its red away uniforms and RPI wore its home whites because BU's
  home uniforms weren't ready yet.
 
* During the first intermission interview, RPI captain Ivan Moore referred to
  his coach as "Buddy".  I couldn't help but laugh, thinking what would have
  happened if Moore had referred to Buddy's predecessor as "Mike". :-)  That
  right there signifies what a huge change has taken place at RPI.
 
 
- mike