I went to two hockey games this weekend, here's my quick impression on the
two games and the four teams:
 
Boston College 6, Vermont 5:
 
It should not have been this close (BC takes lead with apx 35 seconds left).
 
Vermont does not have ANY size.  BC knocked UVM off of the puck anytime they
wanted to.  Vermont is in trouble in goal.  UVM's goalie not only played
badly, but even looked very very VERY bad on the saves he managed to make.
BC's goaltender, Taylor, is a legit div I goalie.  He's not "good for a
freshman," he's just good.
 
Why was it this close?  My friends and I (Adam included) came up with a few
theories:  1. BC must be emotional to play well, and only became emotional
in stretches.  2. Vermont, although getting beaten-up all over the ice, all
focused as a team to cream in front of BC's goal when the occassional
opportunity came up.  3.  Vermont was a little better in their positioning,
when they were allowed to stay in their position.
 
Do not get me wrong, BC was not playing cheap as a team, they were just far
bigger and tougher.
 
 
RPI 4, Boston University 2
 
Two things:  RPI is for real.  BU still has much work to do.
 
One thing that can not be changed or worked on is that RPI had a far better
goaltender.  Herlofsky (BU) was not bad, he just was unable to make that
"great" save that can save a team and pick them up.  Little was not as good as
Snow or Dunham (Maine) were last year, but he was just very steady and
extremely solid all night.  I do not know what happened to him that game vs.
Merrimack, but I do know that he looked like he is capable of making a run at
All-American.
 
BU is far from a polished team yet.  Some forwards still seemed to get confused
as to which side of the ice they were supposed to be on.  BU is deep at
forward, but lacks that big line that can get you a lot of easy goals in a
hurry.  The talent level of the forwards tends to indicate to me that BU will
be the worst nightmare to an average goalie or a just "slightly" above-average
defense, as they will come after a team with wave after wave of pressure.  The
problem is that they do not have any "natural" goal-scorers who think offense.
They will stuggle against a team with an All-American goalie.
 
BU's captain, Doug Friedman, needs to do some thinking.  I liked him for the
past three years as his agressive play all over the ice changed the way other
teams played us, intimidating their defensemen and breaking up their plays.
The problem this year is that, now that he's the captain, he seems to be
thinking that he must hit everyone at all times.  After he and another player
tangle up and depart, he gives them the extra little slash on the pads.  It is
not near an attempt to injure or even cause pain (hits 'em where there is lots
of padding), but it serves no purpose other than to possibly cause a power-play
for the other team.  His hit a few seconds after the end of the first period
the other night was useless and stupid.  I like aggressive play, but not
mindless aggression.  Being the captain, younger, more skilled players, are
trying to hit at times that they should be skating.  I think Doug is a good
player, but he just needs to refocus.
 
RPI did a wonderful job of tying BU up in front of the net.  BU could not get
someone free in front.  Granted, almost all of it was holding (or holding the
stick), but it was done right on that borderline where they tied the BU guy up
just enough to prevent him from getting the puck while avoiding a penalty.
Teams will have to learn to keep forwards constantly cutting and driving, as
setting up in front of Little will not happen.
 
RPI also must be commended for their backchecking.  They continually hustled
to get back, usually chopping or lifting up the BU player's sticatat just the
right moment ro cause the BU player to lose control.  It was well done.
 
BU does have a lot of work to do, and I think this game was very good for them.
BU thought they were great (they are indeed very talented and deep), but they
are far from perfect yet.  Parker's recent history has been that when his teams
do well early, they get cocky and never improve, while, on the other hand, when
they start off getting upset a few times, he uses those losses as foci for the
season.  Let's hope the team uses this loss and any other that occurs in the
near future to refocus themselves.
 
 
One note on the side:  I really liked the RPI fans that were there.  They were
continually cheering in a positive manner.  They were fun to joke with and
play-taunt.  They showed spirit without degrading anyone or anything.  It was
truly amazing that sports team's fans can be such... such... nice fans!
 
RPI is already my second favorite non-Hockey East team, but their fans may move
them up to #1 on my list (non-HE).  If you know anyone who went to the game,
tell them RPI can be proud as they shocked some BU fans with their class.
 
Jason Moy, we (Heather Herbig and I) did try to find you, but they wouldn't
let us into the booth itself (well, actually, we got IN, we just got promptly
kicked out again.).  We tried!
 
 
Just the humble bablings of a crazed hockey fan...
 
Tony  BU'92'93
Former Ogre