[log in to unmask] (Mark Lewin) wrote:
 
>Dear Harry Ammian:
>I heard tonight that you got married during the off season. Allow me
>to congratulate you on this happy occasion. As I feel we have become
>close over the years, allow me to offer you some advice. As a
>newlywed it would be nice if you spent more time with your bride,
>especially on Friday and Saturday nights. It will be tough on  your
>fans but, we're willing to make the sacrifice. We might miss your
>creative calls and especially non-calls during the game, but with a
>little effort, we'll make the adjustment. Since you seem
>to be referreeing a different game than we're watching anyway,
>maybe you should sit in the quiet of your own home and let
>someone else who knows the rules, call the game.
>                                        Yours truly,
 
One of the best things I've seen in awhile.
 
 
>RPI got on the board first at 2:42 of the 1st period on a goal by
>Mark Murphy with assists to Patrick Brownlee and Steve Caley.
>The first period ended with RPI up 1-0 but Colgate outplayed RPI for
>almost the entire period. The Red Raider forwards were far
>faster than RPI defensemen skating around them consistently. How
>RPI kept Colgate off the board that period, I'll never figure out.
>RPI would take decent shots at Brenzavich in the goal who would give
>up dangerous rebounds. But before the RPI forwards could capitalize,
>the Colgate defense would pick up the puck in the slot, move it to a
>forward who would catch another forward moving out to center ice and
>the RPI defensemen would be caught on a 2 on1 or 3 on 2 consistently.
>It would have been beautiful to watch if I wasn't a fan of the other
>team .
 
Here is where I disagree.  I thought RPI far outplayed Colgate in the
first period.  RPI came out with mor eintensity, more physical play,
and had the better of the opportunities in the period.  The Colgate
defensemen kept them in the game in thei first.
 
 
>made a difference in the final outcome. Colgate clearly outplayed RPI
>for the first 2 periods of this game. However, the only thing worse
>than seeing a referree making a bad call (or not making a call when
>he should) is seeing it happen and leading directly to a goal. The
>game should be decided by the players, not the referree. Colgate went
>up 2-1 at 18:22 of the 2nd on a goal by Andy McDonald standing just
>outside the crease and deflecting in a beautiful pass from Dan
>Wildfong who had 3 Engineers all over him and still managed to get
>the pass in front. A second assist was awarded to Rob Mara.
 
That was a nice pass by WIldfong.  I have no idewa how he got that
pass over all of those sticks.
 
>3rd period
 
>RPI finally showed up for the 3rd period but Dan Brenzavich buckled
>down covered up the rebounds he had been scattering for the first
>two periods. IMHO, RPI outplayed Colgate in the 3rd period but just
>couldn't get the tying goal. RPI All-American Eric Healey, who had
>(uncharacteristically) taken 3 penalties  during the 1st two period,
>found himself with the puck in the slot with Brenzavich down in the
>crease and was unable to lift the puck over him. Later in the period,
>Healey would have another shot from the high slot, would beat
>Brenzavich and bounce it off the cross bar. At 10:02 of the 3rd, a
>bank of lights went out in the Field House causing a 15 minute delay
>in an already agonizing, long night. Referree Harry Ammian stopped
>play (one of the few good calls he made all night) while RPI asked
>the age-old question, how many Engineers does it take to change a
>light bulb.;-) (Sorry, it's late and I'm getting tired)    .  Colgate
>went up 3-1 at 12:30 on a goal by Mike Marostega from Mike O'Malley
>and Sean Nolan.
 
This was also just a pure rocket.  No if ands or buts.
 
Eric Healey took three penalties, and after these penalties he toned
down for the rest of the game.  That was the biggest difference the
refereeing made.  Granted, one of the three was VERY warranted, an
open ice flatterning of Bryan Pool for interference, but Healey was
clearly the best player on the ice in the first period.  he had, by my
count, seven HUGE hits in that period, and then he took a penalty, on
what I thought was a clean hit.  His play then stopped.  Dead stopped.
 
>RPI almost cut the lead to 3-2 at the 17:00 mark but the goal was
>waved off by dear old Harry Ammian who ruled that the puck had gone
>in after the whistle had blown (which was true). Of course, it was
>Harry who had blown the puck dead when it was still in play. He was
>standing 6 feet away from the net and lost sight of the puck while it
>was in plain view of everybody else in the building. RPI finally cut
>the lead to 3-2 at 17:31 on a goal deflected in by Eric healey on
>a shot from Mark Murphy on the point. An assist was also given to
>Matt Garver.   RPI took a timeout at 18:48 and pulled Laing and had
>several chances to tie in the final 2 minutes but Colgate sealed the
>game with an empty net goal at 19:20 by Andy McDonald.
 
>Pardon  my ranting. It's late and perhaps I should have waited until
>morning to post. Needless to say, I've had it up to here with Harry
>Ammian. Overall, I was very unimpressed with RPI's play tonight. I
>was hoping to see a return of the explosive  offense visible against
>Dartmouth and Vermont. It never appeared. I was waiting for the
>speed RPI showed last year and led to pre-season predictions of RPI
>glory. It wasn't there.  I was impressed by the defensive pairing of
>Chris Aldous and Jared Reigstad who kept RPI in the game for the 1st
>2 periods. I was also very impressed by the Colgate defense who
>consistently cleared rebounds and led breakouts leading to numerous
>odd man rushes. I was amazed at the speed of Colgate's forwards.
>Colgate has never had the reputation of speed but that has obviously
>changed this year.
 
I don't like to disagree with Mark alot, but here I have to.  I
thought RPI showed up tonight, and in force in the first period.  Hits
galore and finishing checks.  Wow was the intensity ever so present in
the first period, and then the game got run and gun until all the
penalties were taken.
 
There was plenty of speed there tonight, from both teams with RPI
having a lot of chance because of speed.  But the difference were both
teams defense.  Colgate's six were outstanding.  They blocked a lot of
things in front of Brenzavich making most of his saves very easy.
RPI's six were also pretty good too, but just had a couple of
breakdowns.
 
The RPI forwards are missing by inches.
 
Jayson
 
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