Some random notes (somewhat belated) on the RPI Invitational and last
weekend's UNH-RPI game:
 
  We sat behind the Clarkson bench for the PC-Clarkson game that opened this
year's Invitational, and enjoyed a fast-paced game between two evenly matched
teams.  It had been a long time since I'd attended a hockey game at *any*
level that had so few unbalanced penalties; neither team had a power play
until the 13:00 mark or so of the third period (Clarkson scored on its only PP
opportunity to briefly take the lead, only to surrender the tying goal with
under two minutes remaining on PC's sole PP opportunity).  Quite a few
matching penalties were called, however, but a man advantage was few and
far between.  No sooner had we finished commenting on this between games,
when the RPI-Lowell nite-cap featured the first *triple-minor* I've ever
seen called in almost twenty years of following the sport.  Following a
scuffle in front of the RPI goal, an RPI and Lowell player were each assessed
a 4 minute double minor for roughing, and the RPI player was assessed an
additional 2 minutes for "added roughing."  Creative refing at its finest!
 
  UNH-RPI:
 
Tim and Robin write:
>The predicted score for RPI at UNH was 3.41-3.86 while the actual score
>was 3-4.  That's almost a win and a half right there, but we'll
>leave it at one.
 
   Before you get *too* excited about CHODR predicting this score so closely,
it's probably worth pointing out that the final RPI goal was definitely batted
in by K. Askew, and should have been dis-allowed.  Interestingly though, we
were sitting just inside the blue line where the "goal" was scored, and none
of us thought it was anything but a legitimate goal.  None of the UNH players
objected either (other than goal-keeper B. Abel), so we just sweated out the
remainder of the game and were happy we could keep the Engineers off the
scoreboard until the final horn sounded.  But the game was being televised
by the local NH PBS affiliate, and the announcers picked it up right away.
We watched the tape the next morning at breakfast, and were surprised to
hear them *immediately* question the goal; we were closer than they were
(almost on top of the net) and had no clue.  Their slow-motion replays were
inconclusive, but my friends in Boston with whom I was staying have a fancy
VCR with all the bells 'n whistles, so we decided to play video engineer and
advance the tape one frame at a time.  Abel made the initial save, but the
rebound deflected off the butt of a back-pedaling UNH defenseman chest-high
to Askew, who batted it in with his left hand as he skated across the top of
the crease.  It's very clear in stop-motion replay, but happened so fast in
real time that I'm not surprised so few people picked it up.  We watched the
play again at normal speed, and even though we knew what to watch for, it's
not obvious !!  I felt like the Warren Commission watching the Zapruder film.
At any rate, it didn't really affect the outcome, though if RPI had scored
when they pulled their net-minder for a 6th attacker, I'd have been mighty
POed ....
 
  Senior net-minder B. Abel has now played himself into position as UNH's
#1 goalie, after sharing goalkeeper duties early in the season with freshman
T. Cavicchi.  No doubt inspired by this, he's now sporting a striking new
facemask adorned with a snarling Wildcat on the front, and block letter UNH
on either side; it's really sharp-looking !!
 
  We also had the good fortune to meet and enjoy the game with the parents
of RPI forward Jeff Brick, who'd flown in from Michigan to watch their son
in the RPI Invitational and at Snively.  We chatted between periods, and I
allowed as how, in the best New Hampshire hospitality, we'd love to see Jeff
do well so long as UNH ultimately won the game :-)  Prophetically, Jeff
scored RPI's second goal early in the third period to pull RPI within two
goals (at which point Mrs. Brick just about shattered my eardrum with her
vociferous cheering :-) but UNH held on to win.  We invited them to the
Friends of Hockey Room after the game for a post-game pick-me-up, and had
a wonderful time; inasmuch as this was probably the last time I'd get to
see my beloved Wildcats until the HE playoffs, it made me realize how much
I miss the whole package of being a college hockey "fan" that all of you who
attend games every weekend take for granted ....
 
  Talks are continuing re: a new basketball/hockey facility at UNH.  Various
corporate benefactors have apparently come on board, and all that remains to
be decided is whether to simply renovate aging Snively Arena or construct a
new building from the ice, er ... ground up.  It's hoped that a decision will
be made this Spring, with renovation/construction to begin in late summer or
early Fall.  Personally, I'll believe it only when that first shovelfull of
earth is actually turned over ....
 
  Good luck to *your* favorite team this weekend ....
 
  Jim
 
  Jim Love <[log in to unmask]> Univ. of Maryland System / Solomons, Md (USA)
  Go Blue !!