Union Breaks The Curse Over RPI
 
Jayson Moy
 
A sold-out Achilles Rink in Schenectady saw the Union College Skating
Dutchmen and their fans brush aside the Friday the 13th curse.  For the
Engineers of RPI, the curse held form, as Union administered a 5-2 beating
of the favored team.
 
Since moving from Divison III to Division I and joining the ECAC in 1992,
the Dutchmen has not beaten the Engineers until Game 1 of last years ECAC
quarterfinal playoffs.  On Friday, Union did what it had not done since
1988, and what it had not done since joining the conference - beat RPI
in the regular season.
 
Union's last regular season win over RPI came in 1988, as then first year
head coach Bruce Delventhal's Dutchmen squad beat RPI and current assistant
Steve Duncan 4-3 in OT.
 
Back in December, most observers would say that Union dominated only to lose
a heartbreaker as Jeff Matthews scored the gaem winning goal with 41 seconds
left to give RPI a 4-3 victory.  This time, Union dominated, and the Engineers
could do nothing to stop the healing of the Dutchmen's hearts.
 
The hearts of Union dropped in the first as Wayne Clarke was credited with
a goals on the power play, as Union defenseman Dean Goulet put the puck past
his freshman goalie Trevor Koenig.
 
3:29 later, the Dutchmen tied the game.  Jay Prentice was planted in the slot,
and tipped in Andrew Will's point shot to give Union a popwer play goal.
 
This goal also gave Union supporters a chance to continue the tradition of
tossing assorted fruit, mostly oranges, at the RPI goaltender.  The target
this evening was freshman Bryan Masotta.
 
After the ice was cleared, the Dutchmen took the place of fruit flying on RPI.
A short-handed goal by Captain Cory Holbrough proved to be a backbreaker as
Union took a 2-1 lead into the second period.
 
Troy Stevens made it 3-1 as his shot bounced directly off the endboards and
went off the back of Masotta into the net.
 
Jeff O'Connor closed the gap to 3-2 with his 2 on 1 goal, but Union maintained
the lead after two periods of play.
 
In the third period, Holbrough would do damage again.  This time his power play
goal gave Union a 2 goal cushion,and extra insurance was added as Russ Monteith
made it a 5-2 Union victory.
 
Union outplayed RPI in 2 areas that proved to be the keys to this game.  The
small neutral zone of Achilles was controlled by the Dutchmen.  In controlling
it, they took away the flow of the Engineer forwards, and brought the puck
back at Bryan Masotta.  So thorough were the Dutchmen at controlling the
neutral zone, that they only gave up 16 shots on goal.  The other area was
on special teams.  Union was 2 for 6, and RPI 1 for 10 on the power play.
Union capitalized in front of Masotta while RPI squandered 5 on 3 situations
of at least 30 seconds on three different occassions.
 
"I remember my freshman year, we were losing 8-1 and 7-1 to these guys,"
commented Holbrough.  "They were one of the premier teams in the league.
It's not that they're not still, but we've just closed the gap now.  We
haven't gotten to the point where we want to be yet, but Union will be
there.  We've just got to build and build and build."
 
And on Friday night, the Dutchmen built themselves one extra step in
intensifying the battle between these 2 rivals.
 
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* Jayson Moy  RPI '89 '93       * One of the Voices of Rensselaer Engineer   *
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