I spent this weekend in the Capital District of New York, covering the Princeton/RPI-Union weekend. It gave me a chance to reflect on many recent postings, so here goes: Trevor Koenig: I guess we know who Princeton coach Don Cahoon will vote for as ECAC Rookie of the Year. I spoke w/PU goalie coach Craig Fiander, who told me that he loves the way Koenig tries to keep the game simple - make the first save, control the rebound - don't be overly aggressive, don't try and read too far ahead of the play. The same could not be said for the Tigers James Konte in the first 20 minutes - he was really fighting the puck. After being yanked for 20 minutes of ineffective relief by Erasmo Saltarelli, Konte recovered for a steady 80 minutes over the rest of Friday/Saturday. Union in general: Same ol', same ol'. What the Dutchmen may lack in depth, they more than make up in spunk. Union will always be tough at home because it understands the importance of following through on checks and putting the heat on opposing defensemen. Princeton controled the flow of play, but Union took advantage of every chance it had. RPI Fieldhouse crowd: The student section was in fine form, but, as often posted, the local support was weak in numbers and enthusiasm. RPI in general: I wasn't particularly impressed with Rensselaer's defensive zone coverage - Princeton cycled effectively and created more than enough good offensive chances to win. Tamburro played well, however, and the D did do a good job clearing out in front of the net (Ian Sharp's goal was the exception - both defensemen got caught behind the net). ECAC power plays: I assume RPI is more effective man-up when Hamelin and Clarke are healthy - if not, this may be the worst year for power plays that I can remember. Who besides Clarkson can consistently score? I guess UVM is pretty tough w/Perrin and St. Louis, but I can't think of another team I've seen that can get anything going. John Gallagher: Does anyone know the result of Gallagher's getting pegged with a Dan Brown slapshot in the RPI game? It looked pretty bad - and I hope the students feel a little guilty about the way they cheered when he went down. After all, Rensselaer did have five more power plays than PRinceton, including a 5-on-3. The referee isn't always the enemy. Geoff Howell The Trenton Times Drop the Puck