Tony, marooned in California asks:
 
>Trying to get a bead on RPI possibilites based on the 10-3 blowout over
>McGill this past weekend.  Anyone know anything about McGill's ranking in
>Canda?  How they compare to UNB for example?  Is the rout based on good
>play by RPI, or from playing a relatively weak opponent?  Anyone out there
>have a clue?
>Go Engineers!!
 
While I don't know what McGill's ranking among Canadian colleges is, I would
assume it's not in the top echelon.  Other teams like Brunswick and Concordia
seem to have played much better the last two weekends.  In watching Saturday's
game at the Fieldhouse, there isn't anything I would recommend about the McGill
team.  Center ice was about as open as a Montana highway, and I doubt the team
had any idea what the word "forecheck" means.  The Engineers leisurely moved
the puck out of their end, often waiting until one forward became poised to
shoot the puck.  I arrived at the Fieldhouse 30 seconds after the opening
face-off, only to realize I had missed the first penalty (at the 3 second mark)
and just in time to see RPI's power play score as I was walking to my seat.
This game was definitely not a nailbiter, in fact I hardly bothered to take
any notes since they just didn't seem to matter.
 
On the basis of the walk-over I will however offer a few observations about the
Engineer team.  I agree with Jason Moy's comments about the team, and will
amplify a little.
 
There does seem to be a difference  between Buddy's team and Fridge's.  Buddy's
was a free-wheeling bunch, almost to the point of undisciplined.  By that I
don't mean they took a lot of penalties, but that they had no coherence to
the attack, no plays or patterns to fall back on when the forwards were unable
to penetrate the defensive curtain that was thrown at them.  Fridge's emphasis
on defense first, and more chalkboard-style break-outs and scoring plays seems
to give the Engineers more puck movement.  Of course I again emphasize this
Engineer team must experience a team that forechecks, and it will on Friday
night.  If ever a team know how to forecheck, it's BU--I keep seeing Mike
Grier laying out one of the small RPI d's on the boards with the puck dribbling
to the corner.  While I'm not predicting a victory, I do think the Engineers
will give a good account of themselves.
 
My optimism is based on what I have seen so far.  I don't see any real decline
in the offense.  Bryan Richardson still plays center, and still scores better
than anyone on the team.  At one point Saturday I was talking with my friend
about the forwards, to which he inquired "what about Richardson"?  I responded
that Richardson can turn it on whenever he wants, which was underlined 5 second
later when he scored his first of two goals.  While he doesn't have the speed
of Juneau, he has that gift for freeing himself for a shot around the net, and
his shot is as deadly as they come.  Second line isn't much different than last
year, with both Clarke and Hamelin scoring two goals apiece.  I also like
freshman Doug Battaglia, who didn't get a lot of playing time Saturday--unlike
the other freshman.
 
Ahh, the other freshman.  For the first time in awhile, the Engineers have
depth on defense.  Bryan Tapper continues to be my personal favorite of the
new recruits, scoring his first goal Saturday night, and not making any
noticeable mistakes.  I also like Fridge's guts in putting the new D's in right
away, with regular defensive pairings.  Aldous was paired with Adam Bartel, and
instantly became the number one defensive pairing, with Rochon being paired
with Tapper as the number two.  Both groups played with a lot of confidence,
but the acid test comes Friday.  It was also startling to see Chris Kiley out
on a regular shift.  Kiley spent an awful lot of last year in Buddy Powers'
doghouse, so I'd have to say the jury is out on whether he will catch on as
the third defenseman off the bench.
 
Which again brings me to Dan Fridgen.  I hope he is successful in implementing
his new control style with the Engineers.  It would be nice to see the forwards
become more aggressive in their forechecking.  Hopefully his goal of stressing
defensive responsibilities for the entire team will prevent some of the 2 on
1's and 3 on 1's we saw Neil Little fighting through last year.  And in light
of the inexperienced goaltending, it is essential that the rest of the team
relieve some of the defensive burden from Tamburro and Massotta.
 
Finally, a discussion of the goaltending is in order.  Tamburro looks fine.
His positioning looked good, and he seemed taller than his 5' 7" frame.  But
I wonder about him when he's got a couple of big forwards trying to screen him
off the puck.  Massotta looks like an NHL goaltender.  He takes up a lot of the
goalmouth, and stands up when the puck approaches.  But he didn't play very
well Saturday, and I think he needs a little polishing.  The third McGill goal
was a result of a Massotta mistake.  He simply failed to move to cover the shot
when the McGill forward shifted the puck onto his forehand.  There were no
other McGill players in the vacinity, as the RPI defensemen had taken care of
everyone else.  Massotta also seemed a little uncomfortable, if not nervous,
at his first experience in the RPI nets.  I don't expect to see him in the
BU game, unless of course it's another blow-out.  But I think there is an
excellent chance he will start against Merrimack, or more likely Army.  I think
his development will spell whether RPI can get to the NC$$'s again this year.
I would be be happy to see a platoon system instituted, like Harvard's the
last two seasons.  I believe it is difficult for a single goalie to get his
play up for every game, and a Tamburro/Massotta platoon presents a challenge
to opponents since their styles are basically opposites.
 
Starting this Friday, the Engineers face a parade of talented teams.  They
don't have the luxury of waiting until January to gel if they intend on
playing into April.  It should be a very interesting November and December.
                     _
             "NYS   // Hockey"
         Go 'Gate  //   Brian Morris
           Go RPI //      Albany, NY
           ______// [log in to unmask]
          (______/
 
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