My apologies if this is a rehash of a previous post, but I haven't received any
mail on Hockey-L the entire weekend.  So,
 
In what can only be termed disappointment, RPI emerged with two points from
its weekend series with the North Country teams, remaining tied with Colgate
for third spot in the ECAC. Again it was a lack of depth at the blue line which
hurt the Engineers, a problem which may prove the downfall to their once-bright
season.
 
RPI/St. Lawrence 2/4/94
 
In a game the Engineers dominated for all but two minutes, RPI adds an L to its
standings.  While the forwards were free to roam around the St. Lawrence end at
will, the defensemen made the big mistakes that led to Larrie scores.  Coupled
with a less-than-stellar night from Neil Little, and the Engineers lose a game
to a team that probably has half the talent of RPI.  While the Larries really
couldn't skate with the Engineers, they never lost confidence, and made the
best of the few opportunities they were offered.
 
The major highlights/lowlights follow.
 
First Period:
RPI scores quick at 1:42 off a screened shot from Rochon (Pirrong,Hamelin.)
The Engineers dominate play for the next 5 minutes but SLU answers at 5:44.
Perry throws a long pass out to a streaking Reed who goes in on a breakaway.
Reed comes down the left side and flips it past Little, who seems to have
committed too early  (My apologies to SLU, I'm sure I've got some of the names
wrong.)
 
At 10:57 RPI gets caught up ice.  The defensemen, who repeatedly pinch in, give
SLU a breakaway.  Stevens springs Murphy on the break, and again Murphy makes
the best of his chance depositing the puck top shelf.  Little didn't have much
of a chance on this one.
 
At 14:31 Gabriels ties the score up off a rebound from a hard Hamelin shot.
But almost immediately thereafter Kelly Askew uncharacteristically loseshis
his cool, and smashes his stick on the head of an prone SLU defensemen.  Askew
gets the 5 minute major, and apparently a double misconduct.  At the time it
was believed to be a match penalty, which would have DQ'd him from Saturday's
Clarkson contest. But apparently the penalty resulted from Askew expressing his
opinion of the officials' talent, which enabled him the opportunity to view the
remainder of the game from the bench.  Askew's absence would prove telling in
the third period.
 
Second Period
The second period saw the Engineers again dominating play.  The forwards put
constant pressure on Spagnoletti, and the power play continued to look good.
The unrelenting pressure finally is rewarded at 12:07 as Richardson receives
a gift.  Spagnoletti, who had made a series of tough saves, watches the
puck jump over his stick and into the net.  Regan and Brick receive assists.
 
RPI keeps up the pressure, and looks to hit the intermission with the lead.
But at 19:41 SLU gets a rare rush, and the RPI defensemen never get back into
the play.  After two saves the third rebound goes past Little, tying the game
at 3-3.  The late score proves a harbinger of things to come.
 
Third Period
 
The late score gets a quick Engineer response.  At 00:27 Richardson scores
on a quick shot--so quick I didn't even see it.  Regan with the assist.  SLU
displays its tenacity by coming right back.  At 1:46 Layzell is called for
interference directly in front of Spagnoletti.  On the ensuing power play
Lemelin hits a streaking McCourt who motors down the slot and beats Little.
An odd score since up to that point the Engineers had been doing a good job on
the kill.
 
At this point my notes end, apparently in relation to the increasing disgust
I experienced.  The defensive problems become critical as Pirrong falls
headfirst into the corner boards and sees stars.  RPI is down to 4 defensemen,
since Adam Bartel had gone out early in the second period.  Apparently Bartel
re-injured his knee.  As a result Layzell begins to log heavy ice time, and
frankly looks more and more tired as the period wears on.  The absence of
Askew, probably the best defensive forward in the ECAC, only exacerbates the
defensive problems.
 
At 13:42 Jeff Gabriels is the recipient of a gift as SLU coughs up the puckin
front of its own net.  Again the lead doesn't last for long, as SLU re-ties
the game at 16:04 off a power play.  The Engineers this time cannot respond,
and the game runs-out at 5-5.
 
OT
The entire 2:30 minutes of OT offered no real scoring opportunities.  SLU
did score however.  In a play which seemed to be a routine shot, Neil Little
allows a weak slap shot to go through the 5 hole giving SLU a 6-5 victory.
As much as I dislike criticizing Little, who seems to be laid out to dry so
often by the RPI defense, this was probably his worst game of the season.
Facing around 20 shots, he allows 6 SLU goals, with at least 3 of them of the
soft variety.  It seemed as though he could never get into the flow of the
game, as he seemed helpless at the very infrequent SLU rushes he faced.
 
Instead of second place, RPI ends the evening in fifth place, as both Harvard
and Clarkson pull out late victories.
 
Clarkson game will follow later.
                    _
            "NYS   // Hockey"
        Go 'Gate  //   Brian Morris
          Go RPI //      Albany, NY
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