RPI defied the predictors on hockey-l by taking game 2 against Union
3-1 at the Houston Field House to win the ECAC quarterfinals
and move on to the ECAC semifinals in Lake Placid next weekend.
 
Here are my notes as scribbled on a napkin (which is better than
nothing I suppose).
 
Union came out where they left off last night, in that smothering
defense that is so ugly to casual hockey fans. This wasn't ugly
as in cheap shots, dirty play ugly but rather in your face, don't
let the puck carrier move ugly. To someone who appreciates the
"art" of hockey, it was truly impressive.  Union totally dominated
the first 10 minutes of period 1, and since I sit at the other end
of the Field House, my neck was getting stiff from watching all the
play down the other end.
At 11:15 of the first period during one of their first rushes of the game
RPI went up 1-0 on a goal by Eric Healey on an assist from Matt Garver.
I'm not positive but I believe this goal was scored on a delayed
 penalty call.  Several minutes later, at 12:18 RPI put another goal
on  the board on a power play. The goal was scored by Doug Battaglia
on assists from Pete Gardiner and Danny Riva.
At that point Trevor Koenig skated over to the bench to be replaced
by Leewor Shtrom. After a Union timeout, the Dutchmen
defense took over again and shut down the RPI offense
for the rest of the period. But the damage was done.
The period ended with RPI up 2-0 . Saves for the period,
Joel Laing (RPI) 18
Koenig,Shtrom (Union) 6
 
Period 2 started with Trevor Koenig back in the Union
nets (no surprise there) but he was greeted rudely when,
at 0:32 into the period, Brian Pothier dug the puck out of
the corner in his own zone, got it cross-ice in the
neutral zone to Allain St.Hillaire who passed to
Eric Healey for the goal making it 3-0.
 
At this point, Union had to abandon its game plan.
Union had to win, a tie was no good so Union had
to generate offense which is not their strength
and slack off on their defense . This gave the RPI
forwards some skating room and they took advantage of
it for the remainder of the game. RPI didn't need to score,
just keep Union off the board and let the clock
do the work for them. And that's what they did for the
most part.
Union however was not ready to roll over and die. At
15:36 of the period, Union scored on a goal by
John Sicinsky on an assist by Craig Recklin. I can't
describe the goal since I was watching the Field House
security guards removing a Union fan who had a battery
powered bullhorn in the stands. That story had a happy
ending when security allowed him to remain in the Field House
as long as he stopped using the bull horn. He returned
to his seat and was boisterous and loud for the rest of
the game (but he didn't use the bullhorn again). But he
did pay a price. While he was being talked to by security
near the back door behind the stage, Union scored their goal.
He missed it (but then again, so did I since I was watching him.)
But back to hockey.
Union went on a power play at 19:30 of period 2 and put on a flurry
of offensive pressure. With 15 seconds left, a shot from the left
 face off circle beat Joel Laing and hit the far post. It was
removed by the RPI defense and the period ended with RPI up 3-1.
If that had gone in, the 3rd period would have been played far differently
by both teams.
Saves in period 2
Laing (RPI) 12- 30
Koenig (Union) 12-17
 
Period 3 saw Union in desperation and they made some dumb mistakes.
With a minute 30 power play to open the 3rd period and down by 2
goals in a must win situation, Union player Chris Ford took a run
at Joel Laing. It wasn't a dangerous play, there was certainly no
intent to injure, but it was just stupid. Nothing gets the referree's
attention faster than that and even Drew Taylor saw that one. He sent
Ford off at 1:07 of the period and so ended Union's power play opportunity.
 
The rest of the period saw RPI in a defensive shell, content to stand
Union up in center ice, carry the puck in and just pass it around
and then ice it when they needed a line change. It wasn't pretty
but its effective when the clock is on your side.
Union's next mistake came with at 17:47 when John Sicinsky
took a hitting from behind penalty which took away any advantage
his team might have gotten by pulling Koenig from the net.
The game ended 3-1 and RPI wins the right to move on.
 
Happily, despite the supposed animosity between the 2 teams,
they shook hands and stood around talking to each other after
the game ended with both teams congratulating one another on a fine
season. It was a hard hitting, fiercely fought series but the hits
were clean, there was virtually no roughing or hitting after
the whistle and both teams should be proud of the way they carried
themselves.
 
RPI coach Dan Fridgen changed his season long philosophy of rotating
goaltenders this weekend, by choosing Joel Laing over fellow freshman Scott
Prekaski. Maybe he figured that good defense and good goaltending win
playoff games and since Laing had a stellar performance Friday night,
why mess with success. It will be interesting to see who gets the nod next
Friday against Clarkson or Cornell.
Fridge also took quite a chance sending RPI out in a defensive posture
tonight. Its true that RPI only needed a win or a tie to move on,
but their past history shows that the RPI offense is their key.
This year, through the regular season, RPI is 17-0 when they score 4
or more goals but only 1-10-4 when they score less than 4. Yet this
weekend, they win both games by 3-1 scores. Guess thats why Fridge
is behind the bench and I'm not ;-)
 
Thanks to Jim Teresco and his Union College Hockey web page so I could
get the spelling on the Union players. Their uniforms don't have their names
 on the back and I couldn't even begin to guess how to spell Sicinsky
 
Congrats to Union College on a fine season, far better than anyone
predicted earlier this year. I think, for that reason, I would cast
my vote for Stan Moore for ECAC coach of the year, even over Fridge
since Union far exceeded anyone's expectation. Yes I know Mike Shafer
got screwed last year and he's done it again this year with that
other RED team, but if the basis of the award goes to the coach
 who exceeds everyone's expections throughout the year, I think Stan's
the man.
 
Mark Lewin
Rensselaer (formerly RPI)
Class of '69
 
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