First, the Providence score over Army was 7-1, not 2-1. Both Erik & Kevin
posted the 2-1 score; this is not their fault since somehow the wires got
the wrong score. I saw it as 2-1 in the Albany Times-Union as well. But
believe me, it was 7-1, courtesy of Providence.
I would be very interested to hear what happened in Maine last night, where
Maine outshot Kent 42-6 but only won 4-2.
Tonight, BU won at Colgate, 4-3. Partials had BC losing 5-0 at Vermont and
Lowell beating Providence by a goal entering the third period of the USAir
Championship Game. Northeastern never answered their press box phone, so
we can't give you the score of their big matchup with Salem State.
I just returned from the Capital District where Merrimack came away with a
split, 9-6 at Union and 3-4 at RPI. Boxes to come tomorrow or Monday when
I type them in, but first some comments since I feel like talking after the
long ride.
MERRIMACK 9, at UNION 6
This was a crazy game. Merrimack owned the first period, outshooting Union
18-5 and running up a 3-0 lead that could easily have been 6 or 7-0 if not
for freshman goalie Luigi Villa. The Dutchmen were up for their first DivI
game and came out hitting, but except for their first line, they couldn't
skate with the Warriors. But things changed completely in the second period
which has been Merrimack's Achilles' Heel (pun intended, as Union plays at
Achilles Rink). It's odd how these things happen; Merrimack's Bryan Miller
says that somehow, even when entering the second period with a lead, it's
as if the team knows that something bad is going to happen.
Brilliant centerman Craig Ferrero tallied with 18 seconds left on a power play
that had carried over from the first period to get Union on the board, and
this ignited a fire under the Dutchmen that was to turn into a blazing inferno.
Union struck for three more goals by the 8:57 mark to take a 4-3 lead and
the crowd of 2200 was rocking indeed. Ferrero assisted on the second and third
goals. Teal Fowler deflected in a power play goal at 10:16 to tie it up, but
when Tim Cregan took the ensuing faceoff and wristed one by Mike Doneghey at
10:31 to put Union up 5-4, Doneghey had allowed 5 goals on 8 shots in the
period and Ron Anderson (alias Joe Morgan) went to the pen for the second
time in two games and called for the big righthander, Steve D'Amore. I don't
know if Jim Teresco and his World's Most Dangerous Band had anything to do
with Union's six-goal outburst in the period, but you never know.
Union went up 6-4 at 14:07 on a goal by Dalton Menhall, but D'Amore shut the
door after that to earn his second straight win in relief and, as it turned
out, a start the next night at RPI. When D'Amore was whacked in the mask and
went down for a few minutes, he was taunted with chants about donuts and his
eating habits, which later prompted Anderson to ask which of D'Amore's
teammates had put the crowd up to it.
Merrimack bounced back with five unanswered goals, two to close the period
knotted at 6 and three in the third including an empty-netter. The prettiest
was probably by defenseman Bryan Miller, who came out of the box and was sent
in alone by Agostino Casale. That made it 6-6.
Our uncontested first star was Casale, who had an incredible six points on
the night (3-3). Including the single goal he notched tonight at RPI (an off
night for him?), Casale has 12 points in three games on six goals and six
assists to show why he was listed by The Sporting News as a possible All-America
candidate. Not to be outdone is our third star, Teal Fowler, who had a hat
trick on three very big goals; he also tallied at RPI and has 5 goals and 6
points thus far. Casale's center, Dan Gravelle, was 1-3--4 and has 2-8--10
on the young season. Also deserving mention is Miller, whose two goals
coupled with a goal against Huntsville gave him three and equalled his career
output of two seasons.
Union's Ferrero was our clear second star. His inspired play almost single-
handedly fueled his team's comeback effort in the second period. He was
literally all over the ice, hitting and setting up plays. My impression of
the Dutchmen is that their last-place selection in the ECAC coaches' poll is
almost certain to be proven wrong. Their first line of Bill Railton-Ferrero-
Chris Albert can light the lamp, and the remainder of the team is experienced
and will play tough. They will win some big games, beat some teams they
should beat, and will likely contend for a playoff spot at the very least.
Goaltender Villa prevented Casale from having a 10-point night as he robbed
him on a couple of breakaways. I was surprised that he got the nod when Union
has experience and quality between the pipes in Shayne White (a list member,
I believe) and Jim Helkie, but coach Bruce Delventhal is probably happy to
know that he has three netminders who can do the job.
at RPI 4, MERRIMACK 3
It was clear from the BU game that if RPI is to win some games this year, it
will be with total team defense and solid goaltending, and that's what the
Engineers got tonight. It was a contrast of two different styles - RPI's
physical, beat-em-up play and Merrimack's blazing speed, and toughness won
out. RPI came out from the start knocking guys around and winning the little
battles, and it paid off with two goals and a 17-6 edge in shots in the first.
Ivan Moore got the Engineers on the board at 7:09 when his 15-footer along
the ice beat a sprawling D'Amore. Xavier Majic (what a name) followed that
by knocking in a pass from Ron Pasco on the power play at 14:43. But Casale
got that back on the power play at 18:30 and Merrimack was happy to go to
the locker room down only 2-1.
The Warriors played two solid periods (hey! a good second period!) but that one
goal lead was to be the difference. Fowler's tipin on the power play tied it
up halfway through the period; Merrimack went 2 for 5 on the night after
going 4 for 10 at Union and is now clicking at 37.5%. But RPI kept working
and got it back with just 15 seconds left in the period when Craig Hamelin
beat a screened D'Amore, who played well for the third straight game.
The teams exchanged goals in the third, but the big one was a shorthanded goal
by Pasco after a bad giveaway by Merrimack in their own end. That made it
4-2 and was the insurance goal and game-winner. Merrimack forced the play
much of the rest of the period and only Kennedy kept the Engineers ahead,
forcing Gravelle to shoot it wide after Gravelle had walked around a defenseman
and later using his pads to block off the net while he was down, which forced
John Barron to try to roof it from point-blank range - the puck ended up in
the crowd. Matt Crowley made it 4-3 at 12:07 before Kennedy did his stuff.
The name of the game is mistakes, and RPI made fewer of them which allowed
them to win the game. Merrimack felt that they were still a little tired
after the shootout at the Achilles Corral the night before, but as long as RPI
keeps playing the way they did tonight, they will win their share of games. I
was impressed with the way the defensemen almost always stepped up on the
speedsters Casale and Gravelle and forced them wide or off the puck, and the
forwards' play without the puck was something to see as they effectively shut
off breakout passes and forced turnovers in the offensive zone. I'm sure
Buddy had them working on this after they didn't do it at BU, and we'll see how
long they can keep it going.
EPILOGUE
Despite the team being unhappy with the split, Ron Anderson was clearly
encouraged by the team's play on the weekend, and I think it was a good tuneup
for the Hockey East schedule which begins Wednesday against BC. With a 2-1-0
start and 8 of the remaining 9 nonleague games being at home (Army 11/9 the
only away game), a strong performance in those games and at least a .500
HE record - all of which is within reach - could net this team 20 wins, home
ice in the playoffs and a shot at an NCAA berth. And keep your eye on Casale.
All-America might be pushing it with all the great forwards around, but this guy
is going to rack up some points. Whether he will break Jim Vesey's Merrimack
record of 95 points is doubtful...but it's nice to say now that he is on
pace to score 132 points in the regular season...
---
Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]
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