In a game which won't earn any style points, RPI defeats Yale 4-3 ending their
streak of Friday night losses.  Since the other ECAC leaders appear to be
encountering difficulty tonight, the two points are very big in the Engineers'
quest for home ice.
 
Neither team put on much of a skating exhibition, with the Engineers noticeably
more conservative in their play.  So conservative that at times they seemed
almost lifeless.  The first period was conducted in that style for most of the
first half.  Neither team had much to show for their efforts, until RPI
puts a scoring play together at the 11:35 compliments of the most unlikely of
candidates.  Ken Kwasnewski, playing only because Craig Hamelin and Wayne Clarke
were out with injuries, circles in front of Yale goaltender Sullivan and
backhands a wrister for a score.  Chris Kiley and Patrick Rochon receive a
assists.  Yale comes back at 16:30 as RPI's defense breaks down low with Giroux
getting off a series of weak shots on Tamburro.  Hoever the puck eventually goes
out to Cunney in the lower circle who shoots an angled shot that Tamburro is too
slow in responding to, Giroux and Stepolin with assists.  (Any Yale fan know if
Geroux is related to former Eli Buddy Geroux?)
 
RPI however ends the period on the high side as Brian Richardson (again) takes
the puck and zooms down the left side, drawing  both Yale defenders over to him.
A quick dish to an open O'Connor cruising down the left slot results in a very
quick shot deep into the Yale net, with the score coming in the last minute of
play.
 
The second period, a/k/a the death zone to most Engineer fans, begins in
innocuously enough.  For the first 7:00 both teams seem intent on reliving the
game's quiet beginning.  But a really bad break for the Engineers changes the
momentum, and the eventual result is two Yale scores.  While I am not one to
whine about the refs, since it is rare that the zebras can significantly affect
an outcome, the call by Cerbo on Kelly Askew made by blood boil.  Vermont fans:
all the complaining about Askew's hits on Eric Perrin were rewarded tonight.
At the 8:44 mark Askew takes a Yale skater into the boards behind the Yale net.
From my very clear vantage point it didn't seem that Askew even touched the
skater, other than perhaps some coincidental contact with his skates.  However
the Yale player goes down in a heap, and Cerbo immediately signals a FIVE
MINUTE MAJOR for a cross check.  At no time did Askew raise his arms, let alone
extend his stick across the Yale player's back.  I have to conlude that Askew's
recent reputation for "dirty" playing has been conveyed to ECAC officials, who
now pay extra attention to him when he is out on the ice.
 
Anyway, RPI does a pretty good job of killing the 5:00, allowing one score at
the 10:38 mark.  I am not completely sure of the Yale player, since once again
the elite RPI scorer had a night of changing ID's for every scoring play.  The
last version I had was Sorem getting the goal, with Brierly an assist.  H
Hopefully Kurt Stutt's box will have the correct scoring.  AS the penalty ex
expired RPI seemed to be playing a more physical style of hockey.  The h
heightened pressure earned the Engineers a power play when Yale's Brierly was
called for a high stick (frankly another somewhat strange call from Cerbo).
But RPI put on a really awful power play, with Yale basically skating around wi
with the puck for some 30 seconds, during which time they went down ice u
unimpeded and scored a short-handed goal.  The crack scorer announced it several
times, with the last version awarding the goal to Weidenbach, assists to Emmons
and Jerou.  Goal at 19:39.
 
RPI doesn't waste much time tying the game up as they push a goal over at 1:29
of the third.  All I could see was a crowd in front of the Yale net, with the
red light never going on, but Regan got the goal, Richardson the assist.
RPI picked up its play at this point, repeatedly buzzing the net, and get off
several good shots.  However the style of play, like the entire game, was much
mor conscious of defense.  While RPI didn't go off on its usual prolific rushes
down-ice, nor did they subject Tamburro to naked bombardment from the Yale
forwards.  The Engineers steady play got them the game winner at 11:29 as
freshman Doug Battaglia makes an NHL type move driving down the center of the
offensive zone.  Wheeling to the left as he fakes to the right, Battaglia finds
Brian Richardson in front for the score, Perrardi also with an assist.  The
remainder of the period see RPI playing smart, keeping Yale from enjoying an
real scoring opportunities.  Yale doesn't even manage to get the extra man out
until the 19:30 mark, and by then it was too late.
 
A couple of observations.  RPI played a credible third period, even if they only
seemed to be going through the motions the other two periods.  Brian Richardson
was double shifted throughout, and he came through.  Richardson, quite simply,
is THE MAN.  But the forwards seemed much more willing to come back for the
puck tonight, and the defensemen made some pretty good plays down low.  The
break-out play was blissfully routine tonight (maybe due to the dearth of Yale
foerchecking) and those awful cough-ups to opposing forwards skating down the
slot didn't happen.  I'd also like to cite Dan Fridgen for a well-coached game.
I liked his lines in the third period, going with Richardson for offense in the
first half, Askew in the second half for defense.  Patrick Rochon also logged
significant time in the third, which is always welcome.  While it wasn't a
masterpiece, the one goal win was exactly what the Engineers needed.  Fridge
deserves some credit for changing the team's focus after the two previous
weekend disasters.  I'll take a boring one goal victory any day.
 
What announcement of note: RPI will stage a recognition dinner on July 16 for t
the tenth anniversary of the 1985 championship team.  No word yet on who will
be attending (hello, Adam, Darren, George, John...)
 
Also, next Friday's Harvard game is changed to a 7:00 start to accomodate the
national tv showing, which probably will be shown on tape-delay in the Capital
District!
********************************************************************************
Brian Morris        Go RPI!  Home Ice, Please!
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