I'll also add a few comments.
 
This was the best game of the year, from an Engineer's perspective.  But
if you looked at the game stats, it would be hard to understand how the
Engineers could have won.  RPI only garnered 17 shots on goal, compared to
Clarkson's 44.  The obvious difference was the goaltending.  Highly touted
Dan Murphy saw his save percentage dip allowing 5 goals on only 16 shots
(the last goal was an ENG).  Granted, the goals the Engineers scored were
extremely high quality--two were breakaways, two were 2 on 1's the other
was a PPG.  But compared to Prekaski, well there wasn't any comparison.
Prekaski made 42 saves, and some of these were almost unearthly.  In the
third Prekaski made a glove save as he lay prone in the crease doing the
butterfly.  He also stopped numerous point blank shots and dozens of
screened slappers, an apparent favorite of the Golden Knights.  I have
watched Prekaski all year, and with the exception of the thrashing in
Potsdam, he has been outstanding.  My guess is that he will be the
goaltender for the playoffs.
 
The most amazing stat of the night was that Clarkson only led 1-0 at the
end of the first, and that one a short-handed goal with the Golden Knights
going down on a 2-1 and the Clarkson winger expertly forceing both the RPI
defenseman and Prekaski to commit before shooting into the unoccupied side
of the goal.
 
The second period began as bad as could be imagined, with RPI serving a
hold-over penalty from the first period, and then an additional 5 minute
major, setting up a 5-3 for the 24 seconds.  As noted, holding Clarkson to
only a single goal over the five minute major was obviously a momentum
breaker.  Just as the penalty ended it almost seemed like the Engineers
exploded.  They had literally made it through the center zone only a
handful of times through the one and a quarter periods, but now they had
Healy going in on a breakaway.  Healy has developed senior skills when he
goes in alone, and Murphy was faked out of his pads giving Healy an easy
backhander.  The next two goals were just as good, although Gardiner got a
little lucky on his breakaway.  The third was highlight film quality
though.  Garver roared down the side and held the puck to the last
possible moment as St. Hilaire barely got open to tap the puck into the
corner past Murphy.
 
Watching the third period I thought how the Engineers have undergone a
metamorphosis from a physical to a finesse team.  As the RPI forwards
continued to find space and roar through the center zone the brutal
forecheck of the Golden Knights' first period seemed but a memory.
Watching Pat Brownlee, a slow defenseman, score a goal off a perfect Healy
doorstep pass only underlined the skills of the RPI forwards.
Unfortunately the team seems to suffer disproportionately from holding and
obstructionist tactics, and the entire ECAC knows it.
 
I didn't think that referree Murphy was that bad, although it was probably
because he was in a "let 'em play" mode, such a contrast from the typical
touchy-feely ECAC refs.  I also didn't see the hitting-from-behind called
on Murphy.  But, despite the comments from the crowd that it wasn't that
bad, if it was a hitting from behind than the misconduct is mandatory.  I
also thought that Eric Healy made a few dives, but he does enjoy stirring
the pot.  Murphy missed some, especially the instances where the Golden
Knights enjoyed pounded the heads of the Engineer forwards.  But I didn't
witness that much stickwork, most of the stuff was physical, smash mouth
stuff which I admit I enjoy.  Neither goalie was run either.  Both
coaches, as mentioned earlier, were also pure class with Fridgen
intervening to prevent a fight at the end of the game, and Morris forcing
his players to shake hands.
 
The contest obviously meant a lot more to the Engineers than it did to the
Golden Knights.  T-shirts were sold prior to the game with a "Friday the
13 Massacre-logo.  Luckily the Engineers didn't embarass themselves on the
ice.  And I doubt that the loss will scar Clarkson's psyche that much.
 
Tonight it's St. Lawrence, and I certainly am not going to make any
predictions.
**************************************************************************
Brian Morris                  RPI Engineers--Still Mediocre, but
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