Here's a few additions from my vantage point.
On Sun, 14 Mar 1999, Mark Lewin wrote:
> gave up only two power play goals in game 2). Looking down the Crimson
> roster, it appears they lose Ben Storey and Craig Adams next year
> to graduation and return the rest of the team. They will be a team
> to be reckoned with in 1999-2000.
Well maybe. But I don't think Ronn Tomassoni exactly had a stellar year.
His defensive system is ill-positioned for the ECAC IMHO. A defensive
system works great when you have at team like the Lake State teams of the
early 90's, which basically forechecked you through the boards. Harvard's
system relies more on positioning instead of physical play. As for
offense, at times it seems non-existent.The power play has already been
discussed, but their penalty kill was a showpiece either. The fact that
RPI had difficulty with them doesn't make them a contender.
At one time during the season I had heard that Harvard was in virtual
rebellion, with Tomassoni's days numbered. Maybe the blond hair thing was
the players' reaction to the turmoil this season.
> In tonight's game, the Engineer's were stunned when Harvard scored
> just 22 seconds into the game on a goal by Rob Millar from Steve
> Moore. I can't give particulars as the action took place at the
> far end and I was still settling into my seat.
Miller came up with the puck down low as RPI's defense enjoyed the view.
Laing looked a little startled and Miller shot the puck by glove side.
This morning's T-U says it hit Laing's skate and carromed off the post,
but I can't confirm from my angle.
> the RPI players had come to play. After Mark Moore was called for
> holding at 2:15, the Engineers tied the score on the power play with the
> equalizer coming off the stick of Mark Murphy from Alain St. Hillaire
> and Matt Murley. The remainder of the period settled into the
A miracle type shot that went through a lot of legs and under sticks, and
then found Jonas's five hole.
> familiar pattern of Harvard's stifling clutch and grab defense. This was
> the only way they could keep the much faster Engineer's from blowing by them,
> but it was very effective. Finally the Enginners took their first lead
> at 17:47 when Erick james scored his first goal of his senior season
> on assists form Steve Caley and Chris Migliore.
A beautiful work ethic type of goal. The key play was Coupal holding the
puck in the zone at the blue line as Harvard broke up ice. It became a
nice tic tac toe play.
> Then came the DSP ("dreaded second period") where the Engineers seem to
> come out of the locker room without their competitive spirit. The period
> was scoreless though the play was pretty much controlled by the Crimson
Funny how different a game looks on the other side of the ice. I thought
RPI dominated the first ten. I counted three big flurries, and a missed
breakaway by Doug Shepherd. Halfway through Harvard finally started to
clog the front of Laing, setting single and even double screens. Laing
really came up big.
> all period long. Only the steady Joel Laing kept RPI's season from ending
> in that period as he covered up mistake after mistake by the RPI defense.
> Laing was good, but not perfect. Time after time the Harvard forwards
> crowded the slot, shielding Laing. Late in the period, during matching minors
> the RPI defense collapsed toward the slot allowing point man Matt Scorsune
> to cheat in from the point and he blasted a shot from the top of the
> faceoff circle to to beat Laing to tie the game.
>
> Both team's seasons came down to the final 20 minutes of hockey.
> Referee Drew Taylor put his whistle away as he wisely decided to
> let the game be decided by the players, not the referee.
> The GWG came at 6:57 when Engineer Pete Gardiner carried the puck across the
> Crimson blue line on a 1 on 2. The 2 Harvard defenseman converged on Gardiner
> as he crossed the blue line and hung all over him riding him down to the
> ice. But Gardiner managed to propel himself and both Harvard defensemen
> into the > high slot and made sure that, as he went down, he took both
defenseme down with him.
> By then, Doug Shepherd had caught up to the play and Gardiner, as he was
> hauled down, managed to poke the puck onto Shepherd's stick. Shepherd found
> himself in front of Jonas all alone with the puck and he buried it as the
>
Top shelf, stick side.
Field House went wild. Six and a half minutes later, the Engineers sealed
> it when
> JF Gosselin picked off an errant clearing pass in the Harvard zone, passed it
> to Mark Murphy who poked it through to Brad Tapper who also was all alone
> in front of Jonas.
Tapper had been star crossed all weekend, constantly trying to get his
offense going only to have the Harvard d's grab him or knock him down.
Gosselin's foray was the first time the entire weekend the Engineers had
tried an agressive forecheck. They won't beat St. Lawrence unless they
re-discover their forechecking.
Probably my last recap too, unless the miracle of 1980 occurs, and, even
more unlikely, they don't get sent West to Madison.
> One more thing for those travelling to Lake Placid. Keep your eyes
> on RPI's #19, Matt Murley. Watch his skills and watch his style. And remember
> that he's only a freshman. I think Murley has to be a leading candidate
> for rookie of the year.
If he doesn't get it, it's a major shaft. He almost single handedly saved
RPI's season last weekend. He has continued to improve throughout the
season, adding alert defensive work and penalty killing to his already
formidable offensive talents. IMO he is now the "go-to" guy for the
Engineers. And, if he stays, I think he is a legitimate Hobey candidate
next year or the year after.
******************************************************************************
Brian Morris RPI Engineers--
[log in to unmask] The North Country trip, one more time
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