Brian Morris wrote:
 
A few comments to Brian's comments.
 
>1. Dartmouth and Vermont are not very good teams.  Vermont is very small,
>but without the speed to make up for it.  Dartmouth is very tentative
>offensively.
 
Dartmouth probably suffered (as mentioned by others) by having this their
second game while RPI was playing their fifth.  That is one of the same
problems that RPI faced against BU.
 
>5.  Freshman Coupal surprised me with his play.  He looks very strong.  He
>shrugged Catamount forwards off him like they were flies.  I frankly
>didn't expect much from the Plattsburgh native, maybe some depth to the
>bench.  But he looks like Fridge has found another strong smart skater.
>That makes two quality imports in a year when I didn't expect any
>additions.
 
Yes, it is great to see that Fridgen looked ahead last year, and obviously
saved scholarships for this year.  It's too bad that Powers was not able
to do the same thing four years earlier with the sudden decrease to 18
scholarships.
 
>6. The RPI defensemen are learning how to cut down on the number of shots
>their goaltenders face.  Dartmouth had a ridiculously low 14 shots, only 6
>through two periods.  Around the goal the RPI d's now make the poke checks
>and block the shots that used to get through.  Perhaps more patience has
>allowed the defenseman the opportunity to make little plays that help out
>the goalies, rather than looking for the big take-aways or body checks
>that flatten your man, but may leave someone else open.
 
Hopefully, we can keep the shots down, but ...
Personally, I think that the group that RPI had last year was much better
than that of a year earlier, and the addition of Coupal can only help.
 
>7.  It's again deplorable what a patsy schedule the Engineers play.  After
>playing the only two quality non-league opponents they face all year, BU
>and UNH, they go against two lower echelon ECAC teams.  After that they
>face a weak Union squad at the Knick, (will RPI score its first goal there
>ever?) and then Division 1 wannabe Niagara at home next Saturday.  These
>are not the kind of teams which help your SOS, let alone your competitive
>confidence.  It is disheartening when your team is basically playing for
>an NC$$ berth, not a #1 or #2 seed.  In order for RPI to gain a first
>round bye they will most likely have to win the regular season and the
>tournament.  They will not get a high seed based on their competitive
>prowess.
 
Someone really should be shot for scheduling both BU and UNH, especially BU,
so early in the season.  I realize that it is hard to schedule
out-of-conference games at other times, but this is really ridiculous.
Brian is correct that really the only way that RPI can earn a number-one
seed is by winning both the regular season and ECAC tourney, and I am not
betting on this happening.  Then again, I will be satisfied if they just
make the tourney (and break their seven period non-scoring streak in
tourney play since George Servinis's offside-goal in 1985).
 
Another point to ponder.  This team shouldn't be compared to RPI's 1985
championship team (no team should), but that team lost two early-season
games (NDak and SLU) and never lost a third.  Will history repeat?
 
>8.  Pretty big crowd at Houston on Saturday night--around 5500.  There
>were quite a few Catamount boosters in the crowd but I think a lot of RPI
>fans turned out expecting to see a Vermont team like the past three years.
>The Fieldhouse was still pretty quiet.  The crowd managed to drown out the
>Vermont fan's "Go Cats Go" chant, but not much else.  Seems like the wild
>students of the eighties are gone forever.
 
Win and the fans will come.  It has always seemed to me that the students
attend when it is the thing to do, not otherwise.  It shouldn't be
like that -- but it is.  (This is from someone who sat through some rather
miserable games in 1965-66 including a 16-1 loss to Clarkson.)  Another
possibility is that the ticket prices have apparently gone up more than
inflation since the 80s.
 
 
Ralph Baer
RPI '68, '70, '74
 
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