Box score (recap follws)
 
        1st period
P RPI            3:07   Garver (interference)
P Union  4:59 Kilfoy (holding the stick)
P Union  6:39 Todd   (cross check)
P Union  7:40 Ralph  (charging)
G RPI (1-0)      7:54 Riva (Caley,Gardiner) ppg
P RPI           11:34 Pothier (cross check)
P Union 15:18 Moxham (late hit)
P RPI           15:18 Murray (late hit)
P RPI           17:11 Aldous (interference)
P RPI           19:35 Murphy (boarding)
 
saves RPI(Prekaski) 19  Union (Shtrom) 7
 
        2nd period
G Union(1-1) 0:20 Campbell (Sproat,Ozarowski) ppg
P RPI            2:44 Murray (high stick)
G Union(1-2) 3:37 Moxham(Jones,Smith) ppg
P Union  8:50 Kilfoy (late hit)
P Union 13:50 Bond (interference)
P RPI           13:50 bench minor
G RPI (2-2) 14:27 Riva(Garver)
P Union 18:09 Smith (charging)
P RPI   18:09 Brownlee (boarding)
 
saves RPI(Prekaski) 5  Union (Shtrom) 13
 
        3rd period
G RPI(3-2)       3:37 Murphy(Bryan Tapper,Garver)
P RPI            6:43 Murphy (tripping)
P Union  8:10 Moxham (interference)
G Union(3-3)10:42 Jones(Ralph,Moxham)
 
saves RPI(Prekaski) 7 Union (Shtrom) 11
 
        OT
P Union  1:01 Ozarowski (high stick)
P RPI            1:01 Pothier (cross check)
P Union  2:04 Moxham (spearing major) game dq
 
saves RPI(Prekaski) 0  Union (Shtrom) 4
 
total saves RPI(Prekaski) 31  Union (Shtrom) 35
 
 
RPI's mediocre season continued tonight at the Houston Field House
as RPI could only manage a 3-3 tie with travelling partner
Union College. I say mediocre because RPI is, on paper, a much
better team than Union. They also have beaten Union twice this
year already and had not only home ice advantage tonight, but were
in front of a "big Red Freakout" crowd (5500+ screaming lunatics
(present company included) all decked in red).
This is not to say that RPI played a bad game. Actually I think they
played quite well. It's just that Union seemed to want the game more.
From past experience, teams coming into the Field House on Freakout
night are either completely intimidated by the experience (Brown
used to fall into this category on a regular basis) or are inspired
by it. Tonight, Union was inspired.
 
There was an article in this morning's Times Union where Union coach
Stan Moore was interviewed and stated that his team was humiliated
by the loss to RPI two weeks ago at Achilles and even more humiliated
by the cheapness of their play that night. He was quoted as saying
"I won't allow the players to play that way. They're going to have
slip-ups from time to time but we don't want it to become a habit".
 
He made good on his word tonight (almost). Each team had 10 penalties
in a hard hitting but relatively clean game. As a matter of fact,
RPI's 1st goal came on a 5 on 3 power play and I felt that at least
one of those penalties (Todd's cross check) was real soft
and should never have been called at that point in the game.
 
RPI outplayed Union during the 1st period but the Dutchmen
defense kept the puck away from goaltender  Leeor Shtrom.
Despite Rpi's dominance, Shtrom was only called on to make
7 saves to RPI's Prekaski's 19.
 
In the second period, Union dominated the first 14 minutes
but the RPI defense did a fine job of protecting Prekaski
(He only made 5 saves to Shtrom's 13).
There was an unusual play at 13:50 of the second that I didn't
understand. An interference call was made against Joel Bond from Union.
Just as the whistle blew, something happened on the far side of
the ice where Eric Healey (I believe ) threw his stick. I don't
know whether he was mad at some non-call or just disgusted with something
that he did, but, regardless, the thrown stick caught one of the
assistant referrees across the face (fortunately no serious injury).
There was then a few minutes of discussion and a penalty was called
on RPI: a bench minor. If the penalty was because of the thrown
stick (as well it should have been), why wasn't the call against Healey?
Instead, someone else served the penalty. I didn't have my Walkman
at the game so I didn't hear any explanation from the radio
announcers,so if anyone knows what happened, please enlighten me.
That stoppage and the ensuing 4 on 4 seemed to inspire the Engineers
who scored 37 seconds later and played even with the Dutchmen from
then on.
 
The third period was wide open hockey with both teams playing
well. As time started winding down, the play tended toward tight
defense as no-one wanted to make the mistake that would lose the game.
 
The play opened up a bit in OT until the one play that marred the game.
At 2:04 of OT Charlie Moxham skated up to Mark Murphy behind the Union
end line and viciously speared him across the mid-section.
Moxham was called for a major spearing call and a game disqualification.
No-one from Union objected  and, to their credit, they seemed as disgusted
by the play as the crowd. In addition, it put Union down a man for
the rest of the OT. During that time, RPI managed to put 4 shots on
Leeor Shtrom as well as 4 or 5 more that just missed the net.
Moxham's stupid play could have cost Union the game. As it turns out,
it didn't and the Engineers and Dutchmen settled for a 3-3 tie.
 
I know that RPI is disappointed since they felt they should have been able
to beat Union and it's always tough to lose or tie for the Freakout.
 
A few side notes:
Does anyone know what the significance is of the black patch that
RPI has been wearing on their sleeve all season. It appears to read SIL.
Somebody's
initials perhaps?)
 
Also, since I took a lot of time criticizing Pete Gardiner's play earlier
in the season, I should point out that Pete played another good game
tonight. He seems to have turned himself around since Christmas and
is becoming a force to be reckoned with on offense as well as defense.
 
One other thing of note occurred during the 1st intermission.
A lucky program holder was selected to come out on the ice to
take a few shots for prizes. They place a board across the net
that has a 12 inch hole at the left and right corners and a small
hole (just big enough for a puck) in the center. The fan shoots
at all three holes for a $25 gift certificate at a local store,
dinner for two at a local restaurant and finally at just the center hole
for a new Acura.
 
This big heavy (that reads FAT) guy comes out on the ice barely able
to walk and shoots from center ice. The first shot goes in the left
hole for the gift certificate, the second in the right hole for
the dinner and the shot for the car missed by inches. All in all,
it's more exciting than a tie ;-)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mark Lewin
RPI - class of '69
 
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