Tonight at Meehan Auditorium the Brown Bears took down the RPI Engineers
by a score of 3-2. When the puck was in play, I thought this game was
exciting to watch, but the delays before dropping the puck really dragged
it down.
First off, the delays in this game were ridiculous. It took FOREVER for
both teams to line up for face-offs. There were a few times I was waiting
for a delay-of-game penalty. Teams kept trying to make last minute
substitutions. Then set-up changes. Then play changes. Then the refs would
through out the two players facing off. Line up and drop the puck already!
This was a rough game from the start, with some 17 penalties handed out
during the course of the game, and nearly all of the goals were scored on
the power play. In the third power play of the game, RPI's Pete Gardiner
got the feed in front of the Brown net and somehow fed it through the
heavy traffic to get the first goal.
Three minutes later, with Brown on the power play after an elbowing call
on Eric Healey, Jimmy Andersson's shot went off the back wall from the
point and off to Joel Laing's right side. Damion Prescott was there to
make the shot from the *very* tough angle as he snuck it behind Laing to
tie the game at one.
Then with a little over a minute left in the period, with Brown on the
power play again, Brent Hoiness fed it to Mike Bent on Laing's left, and
Bent took the shot. From my vantage point above the goal, it appeared to
bounce off the left post and back into play. But referree Dunn blew the
whistle and made the signal that it was a valid goal. Nobody seemed to put
up a fight; perhaps it hit the back net support. Maybe someone with a
better angle (or the radio broadcasters) can clarify.
I thought Brown really put on a good show in the first period. The defense
is looking a lot stronger this year -- the forecheck is good and they were
keeping the puck out of the slot and toward the boards. All of the scoring
in the first came on the power play.
Early in the second, RPI's George Murray took an interference penalty and
Brown took the man advantage again. Just after the penalty expired (four
seconds) DJ Harding ripped one from center ice inside the blue line, and
Mike Bent made the slight deflection to put it through Laing's 5-hole, to
put Brown up 3-1. This was the only goal tonight not to come on the power
play.
Down 3-1, RPI came back fighting pretty hard toward the middle of the
period and had Brown really scrambling, especially when they were
shorthanded. This was Brown's weakest period defensively, as they weren't
playing as well as a team. After a holding call on Jimmy Anderson, RPI
was on the power play again and Matt Garver scored the one-timer on a feed
from Alain St. Hilaire behind the net left. Brown was apparently very
unhappy with this goal, as Coach Grillo put up a fight that RPI was
standing in the crease the whole time. Brown netminder Scott Stirling
apparently felt this way too as he took a whack at an RPI player after the
goal. Stirling drew the slashing call but RPI wouldn't convert on the
subsequent power play.
The third was scoreless but not for lack of opportunities. Both teams had
the man advantage a handful of times, although Chris Aldous drew three
dumb penalties throughout the third period that really hurt RPI.
Particularly one at 18:32 that all but sealed the game for Brown, since
RPI couldn't pull Laing for the 6 on 5 last-minute advantage.
Brown as a team seems like it should be winning more games. Although I
haven't had the opportunity to see them since November, I was impressed
with the style and abilities of the team this season, especially compared
to last. The passing has been much better. They're trying to put plays on
in front of the net. We have a defense this year. I'd say the new coaching
staff is really to be commended. Now that this team knows what it's like
to win (with four of their last six), I think they're starting to finally
gel.
RPI just couldn't seem to get it together as a team tonight. Passing and
puck control was sloppy. Penalties really hurt them tonight as well. Was
this the same team that Dan Fridgen said should play clean last week (or
am I mistaken...can't find the HOCKEY-L archives)? A lot of the (few) RPI
fans were upset at the refs after the game, but I think Dunn called a
reasonably fair one. He may have missed a lot of calls, but I don't think
he was lopsided when he did call them.
The win complicates the ECAC playoff picture as Brown moves to within
two points of the current three-way tie for fifth, and Brown faces Union
tomorrow at 7:00 in Meehan.
Unofficial Brown Hockey web page: http://www.netspace.org/users/bfisk/hockey
February 6, 1998
Meehan Auditorium
Unofficial Box Score (from notes and USCHO)
Rensselaer 2 Brown 3
--------------------
RPI 1 1 0 2
Brown 2 1 0 3
First Period:
-------------
Scoring:
RPI- GARDINER (Aldous, Riva) 13:42 PPG
BU- PRESCOTT (Andersson, Quinnell) 16:46 PPG
BU- BENT (Hoiness) 18:51 PPG
Penalties:
BU- LONGFIELD (elbowing) 2:52
RPI- BROWNLEE (interference) 7:24
BU- PRESCOTT (hooking) 12:49
RPI- HEALEY (elbowing) 15:57
RPI- MURRAY (interference) 17:54
Second Period:
--------------
Scoring:
BU- BENT (Harding, Hoiness) 4:57
RPI- GARVER (St. Hilair, Healey) 14:51 PPG
Penalties:
RPI- MURRAY (interference) 2:53
BU- ANDERSSON (holding) 14:27
BU- STIRLING (slashing) 14:51 (served by Smith)
RPI- BRYAN TAPPER (hooking) 17:55
Third Period:
-------------
Scoring:
none
Penalties:
RPI- BRAD TAPPER (hitting after the whistle) 1:55
BU- KERSEY (hitting after the whistle) 1:55
RPI- MURPHY (interference) 3:59
RPI- ALDOUS (hitting from behind) 4:31
BU- ZIELINSKI (cross-checking) 7:41
RPI- ALDOUS (holding) 10:17
BU- GIBLIN (high-sticking) 16:42
RPI- ALDOUS (hooking) 18:32
Shots on Goal (thanks USCHO)
-------------
BU- 10 13 12 35
RPI- 6 15 7 28
Goaltending:
------------
BU- Scott Stirling (60:00, 33 saves)
RPI- Joel Laing (60:00, 25 saves)
Officials:
----------
Referee: Dunn
Linesmen: Shea, Kelley
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