I spent this weekend in the Capital District of New York, covering the
Princeton/RPI-Union weekend. It gave me a chance to reflect on many
recent postings, so here goes:
 
Trevor Koenig: I guess we know who Princeton coach Don Cahoon will vote
for as ECAC Rookie of the Year. I spoke w/PU goalie coach Craig Fiander,
who told me that he loves the way Koenig tries to keep the game simple -
make the first save, control the rebound - don't be overly aggressive,
don't try and read too far ahead of the play. The same could not be said
for the Tigers James Konte in the first 20 minutes - he was really
fighting the puck. After being yanked for 20 minutes of ineffective
relief by Erasmo Saltarelli, Konte recovered for a steady 80 minutes
over the rest of Friday/Saturday.
 
Union in general: Same ol', same ol'. What the Dutchmen may lack in
depth, they more than make up in spunk. Union will always be tough at
home because it understands the importance of following through on
checks and putting the heat on opposing defensemen. Princeton controled
the flow of play, but Union took advantage of every chance it had.
 
RPI Fieldhouse crowd: The student section was in fine form, but, as often
posted, the local support was weak in numbers and enthusiasm.
 
RPI in general: I wasn't particularly impressed with Rensselaer's defensive
zone coverage - Princeton cycled effectively and created more than enough
good offensive chances to win. Tamburro played well, however, and the D
did do a good job clearing out in front of the net (Ian Sharp's goal
was the exception - both defensemen got caught behind the net).
 
ECAC power plays: I assume RPI is more effective man-up when Hamelin
and Clarke are healthy - if not, this may be the worst year for power
plays that I can remember. Who besides Clarkson can consistently score?
I guess UVM is pretty tough w/Perrin and St. Louis, but I can't think
of another team I've seen that can get anything going.
 
John Gallagher: Does anyone know the result of Gallagher's getting pegged
with a Dan Brown slapshot in the RPI game? It looked pretty bad - and
I hope the students feel a little guilty about the way they cheered
when he went down. After all, Rensselaer did have five more power plays
than PRinceton, including a 5-on-3. The referee isn't always the enemy.
 
Geoff Howell
The Trenton Times
Drop the Puck