My post this morning was lost when my system crashed.  So at this points I       [D [D [D [D  [D [D [D  [D [D
will just post comments.
 
First, UMass should be proud of their effort.  By the middle of the second
period they virtually owned the center zone, and goalie Regan played a good
game.
 
Mike Tamburro did not have one of his better nights.  Two of the goals were
soft.  The third (sorry my notes were lost with my post) goal was embarrassing.
Tamburro had the puck ricchochet off his chest protector and dribble inside the
far post.  Unfortunately this was probably another example of Tamburro's
problem with concentration through a full game.  However his play may have
ben pulled down by the abject failure of the defense.
 
And the defense.  Patrick Rochon starred in his own production of n [D\ [D [D [D [D
nightmare in the Fieldhouse.  Rochon left pucks in front of the net all night,
fell in the center zone, starting UMass breakaways, and took several horrible
penalties.  Among the most notorious was his decking of a UMass skater who was
standing right next to referree Emmian.  Rochon's miscues were directly
responsible for two of the UMass scores.  Coach Fridgen continues to leave
Rochon on the ice for large blocks of time, and last time Rochon seems to have
collapsed.  I am not sure why Fridgen was so enamored with the two defensive
pairings of Rochon/Aldous and Pirrong/whoever.  The senior defensemen did
nothing to take pride in last night.  Also Bryan Tapper seems to have almost
disappeared from the ice.   I don't know if Tapper is having physical problems
or is just in Fridge's dog house.  But at this point Tapper is playing worse
than his initial appearances as a freshman.
 
The lone RPI score was appropriately absurd.  Maye and Riva, who are either on
the third or fourth lines, go down ice side by side as the Engineers play
short handed.  Maye slides the puck over to Riva who deposits the puck in the
goal on the stick side.
 
The offense did a good impression of the gang that couldn't shoot straight.
Bryan Richardson and Tim Regan seemed to be working out there, but even there
 
give and go plays didn't get the puck by goalie Regan.  The sole bright spot
was Jean Francois Gosselin who time after time set up in front of the net, only
to wait in vain as no other forward saw him, or bothered to thread a pass to
him.
 
UMass seems to have the best balance of the three HE teams RPI has faced so far.
They are truly an amazing three year old team.  If their progress continues I
think it is inevitable that they will be competing with BU and Maine with the
next couple of years.
 
Coach Joe Mallen received a rare unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  It is
difficult to understand what he could have been upset about in light of the
total dominating effort put out by his players.
 
The game underlines how far the Engineers have to go to become competitive.
The fans now have pinned their hopes on the imminent arrival of Kyle Ferguson,
but I'm not sure if he will be able to make much of an impact on the team.
 
Freshman Murray had his first collegiate goal waved off by Harry.  From my
vantage point it didn't appear that he kicked it, although it didn't look like
it went in off a stick either.
 
Massotta didn't embarrass himself as he played the third period.  The quick goal
at 00:55 was a result of Manganaro being allowed to set up to Massotta's left,
and then picking whatever shot he wanted to select.  Teh defense didn't even
bother to knock him down after he shot.
 
Finally, I did depart midway through the third.  However most of the crowd
departing at the second intermission.
*********************************************************************************
Brian Morris                     RPI Engineers--1995 ECAC Champions
[log in to unmask]
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.