Sunday, November 8, 1992 at Volpe Complex, North Andover, MA
NONCONFERENCE
RPI Engineers (1-0-2) 1 0 2 0 - 3
Merrimack Warriors (4-1-1) 1 0 2 0 - 3
FIRST PERIOD MC-RPI
1. RPI1, Jeff Matthews 1 (Bryan Richardson), 3:00. 0-1
2. MC1, Dan Gravelle 3 (unassisted), 13:13. PPG 1-1
SECOND PERIOD
No scoring.
THIRD PERIOD
3. RPI2, Wayne Clarke 2 (Adam Bartell, Richardson), 3:08. PPG 1-2
4. MC2, Ryan Mailhiot 3 (Gravelle, Jim Gibson), 5:15. PPG 2-2
5. RPI3, Kelly Askew 2 (Brad Layzell, Bartell), 17:58. 2-3
6. MC3, Wayde McMillan 6 (Mark Cornforth), 19:57. 3-3
OVERTIME
No scoring.
SHOTS ON GOAL: RPI 12-14-17--3 = 46
Merrimack 13--5-12--1 = 31
SAVES: RPI, Neil Little (T, 1-0-2, 65:00, 31 sh-28 sv).
Merrimack, Dan Millar (T, 1-1-1, 63:45, 46-43).
POWER PLAYS: RPI 1 of 4. Merrimack 2 of 4.
PENALTIES: RPI 6/12. Merrimack 6/12.
REFEREES: Frank Cole, Drew Taylor. LINESMAN: Dennis Hughes.
ATTENDANCE: 1,676.
THREE STARS: 1. Merrimack, G Dan Millar (46 sh-43 sv).
2. RPI, G Neil Little (31-28).
3. Merrimack, C Dan Gravelle (1-1--2).
With seconds remaining in regulation, Merrimack defenseman Mark Cornforth
carried the puck up the left side and deep into the zone, then fired a
pass to Wayde McMillan in front and McMillan redirected it past RPI goalie
Neil Little to tie the game at 3-3 with just three ticks left on the clock.
It was McMillan's sixth goal of the season, giving him 6-5--11 in six
games and tying him with linemate Jim Gibson (4-7--11) for the Merrimack
lead in scoring.
Playoff hockey. That's about the only way to describe this incredible
game in which both teams proved that they will be forces to contend with
in the 1992-93 season. I'm not sure when the last time was I saw a game
this great, this early in the season.
You'll note above that the two goalies were first and second stars of the
game, very deservedly so. RPI's Little looked superb and kept his
concentration level at the upper level all night. This was especially
important late in the second, after RPI had opened up a huge shot advantage
and Little had not seen any shots - then Merrimack started to pour it on
and at one point, Little was forced to make two brilliant saves in a row
to keep the game tied.
The unquestioned #1 star, though, was Merrimack freshman goalie Dan Millar.
Millar, who now sports a 2.62 GAA and a sparkling 0.922 save % (both he and
Mike Doneghey have played 3 games and have GAA's under 3.00 and save %'s
over 0.900), made 43 saves on the night, and probably 15 were of the
truly spectacular variety. Ron Anderson had stuck to his goaltending
rotation this weekend, playing Doneghey Friday night in Merrimack's 8-1
win at Dartmouth and naming Millar as his starter for this game, and
Millar's performance showed why Anderson has such confidence in him. As
long as both goalies continue to play well, I think it is difficult to name
either one as the #1.
The one down point for Merrimack is the loss of captain Teal Fowler.
Fowler, who scored his third career hat trick at Dartmouth, injured his
knee in the second period and will be out at least 3 weeks. He did return
to the ice of his own choice in the third to try to help Merrimack to a
win, but he wasn't out for long and now will have to sit for about six
games. I expect Anderson will move one of the wings who have played center
in the past, such as Atkinson or Naylor, to center and this will open up
a spot for one of the players who sat out this game. The Warriors' depth
will certainly help them now.
RPI looks more talented overall than I have ever seen them. The Engineers
are much more of a skating team than they've been at times in the past;
though still able to play the physical game, their wide-open style combined
with that of Merrimack's made it a fun game to watch. I had former RPI
goalie Steve Duncan (who is now working with the RPI goalies) on the air
in between periods and he told me that he thought RPI had more overall
talent with this team than any RPI team since about 1985-86. Anyone who
has a chance should get out to see them play.
Meanwhile, the interest generated in this game was high as the Albany-area
writers made the trip to cover the game and many Boston-area hockey people
attended, this being the only DivI game of the day, and all seemed to come
away very impressed with Merrimack. At 4-1-1, the Warriors are really
1-1-1 against high quality opponents with the split at Western Michigan,
and a good performance next weekend at Maine could net them some national
recognition. Also, playing a quick team like RPI has to be a good tuneup
for Maine. One could legitimately claim that Merrimack is about the third
or fourth-best team in Hockey East right about now with BC and UMass-Lowell
also off to good starts.
THE GAME
Both teams swapped goals in the first, with RPI's fourth line clicking
just three minutes in as Jeff Matthews took a feed from Bryan Richardson
and beat Millar from the left circle. Merrimack tied it up on the power
play at 13:13 when Dan Gravelle got the puck off the dasher and scored an
unassisted goal.
Merrimack had threatened several times late in the first but Little was
outstanding and kept the game tied. Buddy Powers clearly had something
insprational to say as RPI came out on the attack in the second, at one
point holding a 12-0 shots advantage, but only Millar kept them off the
board. Each of RPI's four lines was deadly when they were on the ice,
with Clarke, Majic, and Pasco getting some of the best chances. I was
starting to wonder just how good Millar was when he'd flash up that glove
from nowhere to pull the puck out of the air and the Engineers would skate
away shaking their heads. The kid looked like an All-American on this
night.
But the spell was broken early in the third when Clarke's shot on the power
play trickled through Millar's pads to make it 2-1 RPI, and it appeared
as if the odds were catching up with Merrimack. Just over two minutes
later, however, Ryan Mailhiot got the puck out of the corner and beat
Little with a shot up high from the left circle to once again tie it, 2-2.
Both teams continued to press, playing clean, hard-hitting hockey with
lots of up-and-down action, and RPI scored what appeared to be the winner
with just 2:02 left as Kelly Askew carried the puck inside the blue line,
cut back and then let a shot go along the ice that sneaked between Millar's
pads. Millar looked like he was expecting a pass and was moving over to
his right post, but Askew's shot caught him with the five-hole wide open
on the 2-on-1 play.
With just over a minute to go, Millar left the ice for a sixth attacker,
setting the stage for Cornforth and McMillan's heroics in the final
seconds.
Gravelle was the game's third star with his goal and assist and winning
25 of 33 faceoffs, but it could have been any of a number of players from
either team. I was very impressed with RPI's depth and skill level, and
what I had thought to be an inexperienced defense looked very, very good.
The Engineers have played three games against HE teams so far and allowed
three goals or fewer in each game.
Again, both teams looked solid all-around, and I expect both will play a
significant role in their leagues' season and playoffs. It's games like
this (and, from what I heard, the BU-RPI tie) that make me wish we could
have more of these ECAC-HE battles. We will see if this game will result
in people getting out to see Merrimack, they look like they're for real.
NEXT
RPI opens its ECAC season next weekend at Brown and Harvard, while
Merrimack opens its Hockey East campaign at Maine with a pair of games
next weekend. The game Friday, November 13th will be shown live on NESN
at 7 pm Eastern and may be picked up by cable stations elsewhere around
the country like Prime.
Talk about cutting it close! Heather and I returned from the Cardinal
Classic in Plattsburgh (comments on that later) just in time for the
RPI-Merrimack game. Her unbeaten streak with the Warriors continues,
now at 3-0-1.
Special thanks to my in-between periods guests, Bob Croce of the Albany-
Times Union, and as I mentioned, former RPI (and my alma mater, Central
Catholic HS) goalie Steve Duncan. Also to Tony Hejna, who I talked with
a little before and after; both of us were busy doing radio for our
respective teams.
---
Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.) *HMN*
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