> From: Geoff Howell <[log in to unmask]>
> 4) I am thoroughly convinced that Eric Perrin and Martin St. Louis are
> sound defensive players. Maybe they take a few chances that put them out of
> defensive position, but it would be lunacy for them to do otherwise given
> their offensive skills.
 
Here, here.  Spoke to a prominant NHL scout on Saturday.  He said he has yet to
find a weakness in St. Louis-Perrin.  He said he's looking, but hasn't found
one.  They don't back down from physical play. ... Agreed.
 
> 6) Speaking of Augers, Prineton's Dominique is the best offensive defenseman
> to come into the ECAC in a LONG time. There have been good ones, but he is a
> great one. Brad Dexter earned All-America honors last year for doing what
> Auger does.
 
I'll go a step further.  Princeton's four defenseman of Auger, fellow freshman
Darren Yopyk, and sophomores Steve Shirreffs and Mike Acosta will be the best
defensive unit in the ECAC over the next three years -- and it's close now.
Size, skill, skating ability and smarts. ... you can't ask for much more.
 
> 12) Speaking of new jersies, how about the kids from New Jersey? Everyone
> seems to have a good one. Princeton has two, not surprisingly, in J.P. and
> Michael Acosta. Prestifilippo is another. Jeff Brow is scoring goals for
> Yale. Then look at all the Lawrenceville kids, including Erik Johnson at UNH.
> Hockey in the Garden State has come a long way in the last 10 years.
 
This is great for hockey in general -- but I'm trying to figure out why New
Jersey is so far ahead of the curve when compared to Pennsylvania and Southern
New York.  According to my calculations, there are exactly six players from
Penn. at Division I schools (Matt Mulhern-BC, Ryan Smart-Cornell, Craig Bradley
and Tony Ranaldi-Princeton, Zach Hafer and Chris Showalter-Dartmouth).  Ranaldi
played bantam hockey in Pennsylvania, but grew up in Conn.
 
As for Long Island, the trickle is getting bigger, but it's still pretty weak.
But, from experience, I know that the explosion of new rinks only started in
the last 5 years, so eventually, we'll see more players.
 
> 14) When was the last time that Harvard was an underdog at home to Princeton?
> Probably when Hobey Baker was in the lineup for the Tigers.
 
Princeton earns first season sweep of Harvard since 1952.
 
> 15) I haven't seen as much body contact going on this year, particularly in
> the east, but one Erik Rasmussen shift makes up for all the other no-hitters.
 
Geoff's been watching too many Harvard games <G>.  Harvard doesn't hit AT ALL,
and it's ridiculous.  At Princeton, I kept remarking that Harvard had to start
hitting people to get themselves into the game.  It didn't get any better by
this weekend.  The team isn't small, but they don't hit anyone. WHY?
 
AW
 
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