Well, after a dismal road trip last weekend, RPI looks to pick up
some ground in the ECAC standings this week against Vermont and Dartmouth.
RPI takes on Vermont friday at 7:30 and Dartmouth saturday at 7:00 pm.  Both
games will be important if RPI wants to be a force in the ECAC this season.
 
        These two games are the first of seven consecutive home games, five
of which are league games.  And aside from the game in New Hampshire on
January 2, they have 11 consecutive games at home, seven in the conference.
Dating back to last season, RPI has not done well on the road.  RPI won only
one road game all of last season until the playoffs when they won in
Vermont and then in Harvard.
 
        RPI will be minus two freshman, Brian Richardson and Jeff O'Connor,
who will sit out tonight against Vermont for academic reasons.  I don't konw
for sure, but I think you can expect them back on Sunday.  Taking their place
will be Sophomores Chris Maye and Ken Kwasniewski who will make their season
debuts tonight.  RPI will play 11 forwards and seven D and will either double
up one of their forwards, or move Freshman D Jon Pirron up to forward.  Pirron
played forward last weekend against Brown and Harvard, filling in for Jeff
Brick who was out with strep throught.
 
        A lot of people consider this game to be the battle between the two
best goaltenders in the ECAC with Vermont's Christian Soucy and RPI's Neil
Little.  While Soucy has compiled a 3-1-1 record with a .914 save percentage
and a 2.95 GAA, Little has been solid in goal as well boasting a .901 save
percentage and a 3.11 GAA.  Little has only given up one poor goal all season
with several of them being scored by RPI defensemen.
 
        I would expect tonights game to be the better or the two, but I hope
RPI does not look past Dartmouth on Saturday as they may have Brown last
weekend.  Last season Dartmouth was 1-0-1 against RPI and coming off a win
over then Nationally Ranked Clarkson they are sure to be ready.
 
Brendan Sullivan
RPI '95
[log in to unmask]