--- Steve Czuba RPI wrote:
A few questions on RPI's inconsistancy:
 
1. How does Colgate (0-3 ECAC) beat UMASS-Lowell and RPI gets shelled ?
2. RPI had an excellent out of conference record last year, why the falloff
   this year (so far 2-3) ?
3. Is Colgate better than their 0-3 start ?
4. Is Dartmouth for real ?
 
steve
Rensselaer 86
--- end of quoted material ---
I don't know much about Colgate or RPI, but I can provide a perspective on
Dartmouth.
The Green showed that they certainly aren't destined for the ECAC basement as
preseason polls predicted when they beat UVM at Hanover 6-5 in OT Saturday
nite.
However, they also showed they're not ready to win the ECAC outright, when
they got blown out 10-1 in the rematch the next night.
I've talked to several of the Dartmouth players including goalie Ben Heller.
They all say that admittedly they are NOT the kind of team with the talent to
show lackluster efforts and still beat the teams like RPI Harvard and UVM.
Friday night they were hungry, and played smart, gritty hockey.
Saturday they came in too high against a more talented team and they were
blasted.
The key to Dartmouth is the hunger.  This team sort of reminds me of the
1992-93 New York Islanders, if any of you are pro hockey aficionados as well.
That year the Isles clearly weren't as talented as the two-time cup champion
Penguins.
Even without their leader Pierre Turgeon, they rode a wave of emotion, and
beat the Pens in 7 games, winning twice at the Igloo.
In that series the Isles outworked, outgritted and outhustled the Pens, and
that's why they won.
If Dartmouth can play like that consistently, they will be very much for
real.  But if they lose the desire, they'll linger in 8th or 9th place in the
ECAC
 
Respectfully submitted
Jeff Beyer
Dartmouth College