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RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

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Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Good game last night-anytime you outshoot a team 2:1 and outscore a team by more than 2:1 it is a good game. We beat a team we should have and had to-but sure hated to give up that shorthanded goal. Hope we are not too injured to give another good performance tonight against Union. I know it isn't a league game, but darn it would be nice to win our own Tournament for a change.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Had to miss the Union game and it sounds like I missed an exciting one. Good to see the team able to come back out of a hole. However, I note on the box score that we gave up two more power play goals. By my count I think that is now 18 of the 37 goals against are PP goals this season, and the PK percentage is not improving. Until we get some combination of fewer penalties and a better PK success we will have trouble converting all of this new offensive talent and solid goaltending into a winning season.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

I went to both games Friday and the RPI / Union game tonight. Last night, RPI completely dominated play and seemed to be able to move the puck at will. I was surprised to see CJ Lee warming up and he still looked to be skating like he was slightly tentative. I did not see the play or him leave the bench last night, and he did not dress this evening. D'Amigo was a complete rock star again. AAG and Malchuck were very impressive - working very hard and making things happen. We should have scored more and I wasnt overly impressed with giving up a shortie or 3 clear breakaways while on the power play, but I have said that if we score 5's or more probably doesnt matter anyway.

As for tonights game - I have mentioned that I always watch the warm ups with my son, and even he said that Pirri looked frustrated and he just didnt seem to have it together tonight. We absolutely dominated the start of the game. In fact, Union didnt make it across half ice until about 2 min into the game. Then the penalties started...most stupid. So we take 2 5 on 3's and the odd single here and there and end of the first we are down 3-0. Thought we played pretty well in the 2nd. Union is slightly bigger than us, and I do have to say that they are physical. Everyone takes the body, and to a man they dig hard along the boards and in the corners. They know how to take people out of a play one they stop moving. I thought that we had difficulty breaking out of our end and getting deep into their's. However, when we were able to move a create some space, we certainly seemed the much better team. I do have to give them (Union) credit thought, the broke out well, spread out and moved the puck.

D'Amigo got injured and I didnt have a great angle on the play as I was sitting right in front of the press area and happened on the near boards. He was holding his knee which makes my heart sink (I tore an ACL playing). I dont know what the injury was, but he did not return. As mentioned earlier, this style of play seemed to frustrate Pirri quite a bit. Yes, he did score - but I felt he struggled tonight. It was our higher energy guys that created everything - again, to AAG, Malchuck, Kerins, Polacek. Good to see Rabbani score and have an assist...he earned it with hard work. End of the game was very exciting and everyone was standing for the last 2 min. The whole place went nuts when we score with basically no time on the clock. Had a power play in overtime that looked lackadaisical and then didnt stand up and challenge at the blue line when Union had a break, there's a shot and someone puts a stick on it and redirects it in. Tough loss after coming back all that way.

While I obviously wanted the boys to win and think would have been a huge confidence boost for them, I am not tourqued up over this as still letting us fly under the radar a bit. We have a very good and very exciting team. We do have a little trouble when we get attacked hard and we do need some size, but these kids can play - and its capitalizing on opportunities that is going to be the difference between wins and losses. We had some great chances in this game as well. 1 or 2 of those go in, much different outcome.

I cant help mentioning something about the refs - what a nightmare. Seemed like every faceoff had someone getting thrown out. Not much consistency between some of the calls / non-calls in my opinion either. Its no wonder some of our guys were so frustrated (I thought Pirri was going to wack one of the linesmen). Very aggravating.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Is anyone as ****ed off about Brutlag's headbutt as I am? It lead to the second 5 on 3, which lead to a goal. It was so blatant, so stupid, and couldn't have happened at a worse time. The refs blew the whistle, there was a bit of a scuffle, then Brutlag winds up for one of the most obvious penalties I've ever seen. I know you have to stand up for you and your teammates in those situations, but you have to be smart about it, especially when you are already a man down.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Don't get me started on the refs. Before the second period I tried holding out a 20. Perhaps if it were a hundy, we may have won. :P

The first game was fun to watch. Jerry going coast to coast, I wonder if Coach had anything to say about that. I know I was happy about it, but was thinking at the same time Coach would shadow Herb Brooks and say something like, "That coast-to-coast stuff may work here, but it won't work against Union or Cornell."

That last second tying goal was absolutely insane! One of my friends near me was saying they might not count it because of the timing, but I made sure to notice that the ref as his first ruling very clearly pointed one arm at the net, with the other arm very clearly to his side. Also, because of that, and because the entire section 33 was standing for the last minute or so, we broke a record and attracted the attention of two mall co- er public safety personnel, Kevin Beattie, and FOUR field house staff personnel. As much as I would like to say RC's hypothesis on momentum is not in my personal agreement due to that timing, we will never know if it was proved or disproved tonight.

Finally, I couldn't tell after the last goal if Union had won a game against RPI, a two-day tournament, or the national title. But in any case, they did win fair and square. However, the "series" is now tied, 1-1. Game 3 comes after next weekend. We'll see what happens then.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Kronojon said:
Is anyone as ****ed off about Brutlag's headbutt as I am? It lead to the second 5 on 3, which lead to a goal. It was so blatant, so stupid, and couldn't have happened at a worse time. The refs blew the whistle, there was a bit of a scuffle, then Brutlag winds up for one of the most obvious penalties I've ever seen. I know you have to stand up for you and your teammates in those situations, but you have to be smart about it, especially when you are already a man down.
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Brutally stupid penalty for Brutlag to take especially when you're already on the kill. Malchuk's hooking call was also equally stupid because it was retaliatory. He got hooked on the way down the ice, it went uncalled so when the defenseman took the puck from him he did it right back and got nailed.

That first period is about as dumb of a period of hockey I've seen RPI play in a long time. Not just from the penalties but guys making bad plays as well be it turnovers, bad pinches from the defensemen, guys trying to skate and deke around a pack of three defenders rather than throw the puck past them and go get it. Allen York should get to punch his teammates in the face for leaving him hung out to dry for consecutive 5x3 power plays based around idiotic penalties. Carbon copy of the UMass game with that stuff, although the penalties in that game were a lot more suspect.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

GreatLakerMohawk said:
Brutally stupid penalty for Brutlag to take especially when you're already on the kill. Malchuk's hooking call was also equally stupid because it was retaliatory. He got hooked on the way down the ice, it went uncalled so when the defenseman took the puck from him he did it right back and got nailed.

That first period is about as dumb of a period of hockey I've seen RPI play in a long time. Not just from the penalties but guys making bad plays as well be it turnovers, bad pinches from the defensemen, guys trying to skate and deke around a pack of three defenders rather than throw the puck past them and go get it. Allen York should get to punch his teammates in the face for leaving him hung out to dry for consecutive 5x3 power plays based around idiotic penalties. Carbon copy of the UMass game with that stuff, although the penalties in that game were a lot more suspect.
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Good summary-odd that we get ourselves into 5 on 3 situations so often this year. It has cost us nearly every time. Our PK is not very good even 5 on 4 but when we are down to 3 men defensively our goalie relly doesnt stand a chance.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

:)
Kronojon said:
Is anyone as ****ed off about Brutlag's headbutt as I am? It lead to the second 5 on 3, which lead to a goal. It was so blatant, so stupid, and couldn't have happened at a worse time. The refs blew the whistle, there was a bit of a scuffle, then Brutlag winds up for one of the most obvious penalties I've ever seen. I know you have to stand up for you and your teammates in those situations, but you have to be smart about it, especially when you are already a man down.
Click to expand...

two head butts just in case the ref missed the first one:)
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Is there any way we can forfeit the next games against Union so we don't have to lose anymore players?
All they do is take cheap shots, I thought for sure Halpern and Polacek were both gonna go down for good after the dirty hits that got constantly laid on them.
At least Nate Leaman got a couple thinks on his checklist done
Pay off Ref's *check*
Play dirty hockey *check*
Win in the cheapest possible way *check*
Take out D'amigo *check*
Next time he'll have his guys keep gunning for Polacek and Pirri, im sure they'll be able to break one of their legs next time around.

Now about the game, really bad game from our D & York. The OT winner was just pathetic, the d backed off to the point that they were almost behind the net - I'm surprised they didn't push York out the goal and roll out a carpet too.

Appert needs to change our 5on3 d too, cause whatever we do it does not work. Maybe take some chances just to try and clear the puck, when they're sitting 3 guys in the hash marks + slot we really don't have any chance to stop that.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Despite losing, let's take a look at some of the positives from the game:

THREE power play goals. We haven't done that in a while (for games that count in the stats), heck this is the first time this year. In fact, when WAS the last game counting for the stats (UPEI and U-18) when we had three power play goals? Yes it was 3 for 8, but I'd much rather take that over 0 for 8. It puts our power play to 20%. Yes, TWENTY. When's the last time we were there, aside from maybe the very beginning of a season?

Our team last night was, to quote a phrase from MC Hammer, "2 Legit 2 Quit". We showed it in Game 3 of the Cornell playoff series, showed it here tonight, also showed it at Messa earlier. The bedwetters in HFH may give up on their team with 4 minutes left, but our players sure as heck don't, and neither do those that will actually support the team the entire time. At the third goal, instead of a general celebration, I had to give one of those "Take THAT!" to the doors filled with people leaving.

Capability in ALL FOUR lines. Obviously in the past couple of years it was "Stop Chase's line, stick a guy on MAG, and you've got the win". Now our opponents have to defend well for sixty minutes. I'd rather see depth in all of our lines than just one player or line doing all the work.

Yes we have things to work on, but I think it's also important to see the positives to take from the way our team is playing. I'm sure Coach sees these as well.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

Looking past the game...

Chase Polacek is the ECAC's FIRST double digit scorer. He also leads the league with 20 points, power play points (12), tied for second on power play goals (5, Cornell's Gallagher has more).

Pirri and D'Amigo are 1 and 2 in the league for freshman scoring. I realize this is a bit of a tough one to chew because of D'Amigo's injury, but it's still notable that these guys are for real.

Source for all of this, of course, http://www.collegehockeystats.net/0910/overallstats/ecachm

Not only are our players way up there in the stats, but so are Cornell's. This is going to be a fun game next week. David McIntyre's also up there, so the Colgate game will be fun too.
 
Re: RPI 2009 - 2010 Part II: I Believe in Seth Appert

After looking it up, the last time we scored 3 power play goals in a game that counted for the stats was November 12, 2006 against Merrimack. It was the only time that year, so the Union game is only the 2nd time in Appert's head coaching career that 3 power play goals have been achieved in one game by RPI.
 
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