[ This reply seems to have gone to me only, so I'm forwarding it - Bill ]
 
Bill Fenwick writes:
>
> >5. Clarkson.  Expectations are high, but an experienced crew should help
> >   Golden Knights succeed.
>
> Last year, Clarkson replaced Cornell as the team that would have, could
> have, should have, but didn't.  With the talent they had, and coming off a
> strong performance in the 1991 NC$$ tournament, the Golden Knights pretty
> much figured to have no trouble defending their ECAC regular-season and
> tournament crowns.  Instead, they fell apart in the second half of the
> season and wound up not winning anything (I hesitate to bash the Knights so
> much, but they WERE a major disappointment).  The team returns virtually
> intact this season (although the loss of Scott Thomas will hurt), and once
> again, they're a chalk pick for the ECAC title. {rest deleted}
 
I politely let the rude comments from our young Clarkson friends re: RPI
pass by last week.  However, Clarkson has long been an underachiever.
In thirty or so years they've won exactly two ECAC titles....but they've
arguably had the best talent 5 times that many seasons (and will again
this season).  Maybe it's the water....
>
> >11. Harvard.  If a goalie is found, the Crimson will enjoy a strong season.
>
> Didn't Harvard pick up some hot-shot freshman goaltender this year?  A young
> Crimson team wasn't particularly strong on offense last year but won the
> ECAC regular-season crown anyway -- which says more about the ECAC's
> strength than about Harvard's.  With another year under their belts, the
> forwards should be better this year, and Ted Drury's return from the Olympic
> team will probably help also.
 
Watch out for these guys.  With Drury back and if that Martins kid is
healthy (he was the best freshman I saw last season...including Hamelin
and Soucy....but he is small and appears injury prone) the offense will
be back.  Supposedly, the goalie they recruited (Aaron Isreal) is also
top-notch.  He will be the key...particularly since they lost three
regular defensemen.
>
> >19. Rensselaer. This could be the year Rensselaer regains its 1985 title
 form.
> >   [Then why are they #19?]
>
> RPI (and folks, you can't be "Rensselaer" until you change the uniforms and
> the signs at the Field House) should be pretty good this year, but frankly,
> a return to its 1985 edition is quite a reach.  When the Engineers finally
> came together in March, they were a tough squad to stop, and if they start out
> that strongly this November, the other ECAC contenders are going to be in
> trouble.  The problem area may be defense, which has been a question mark
> since about 1985.  RPI didn't lose many seniors from last year's team, but
> four of the departing guys came from the defensive unit.  Neil Little is a
> good goaltender, but if the Engineers leave him alone too many times... well,
> you know the rest.
 
If we can't be accepted as Rensselaer that's fine with me....the school
I graduated from is RPI....damn the person who decided that it wasn't
"up-scale" enough.
 
As for the key to the team, Bill is right.....it's the
defense.  They did lose several players, but it is not as bad as you
might think.  They lost three defensemen (the fourth actually played
more forward than defense), but return four guys who played regularly
down the stretch.  If a couple of the freshman defensemen come through
it could be an outstanding season - particularly if the freshman goalie
Tamburro is as good as advertised.  He is expected to give Little a run
for his money.
 
In any case, it should be a fun season.  Buddy Powers loves a wide-open
game.  When he had Joe Juneau (who has the Bruins drooling), Bruce
Coles, etc. he could pull it off.  Last year he had a very young team
that just wasn't ready to play that style of game.  Powers made some
adjustments as the season went along to have the team play a more
controlled (i.e. clutching and grabbing) style of play.  This year, with
the key players having another year of experience and an outstanding
freshman class, expect RPI to open it up again.  They may not win, but
the games will be fun to watch.  I've ordered my season tickets....
> --
Jon Greene
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Data General, Westboro, MA