RPI Women's Hockey

[Bearcat44]

I would have to strongly disagree with the comment that RPI's defensive core is weak, or at least the implication that it is. In fact, I think their "D" is the strongest aspect of the team. Granted, I didn't get to see the game this weekend, but the defense was the strongest part of the team by far against Sacred Heart last weekend. They played hard in their own zone and kept the puck in the corners and out from in front of the net. At times, to my frustration, struggled to get the puck across the blueline, but all in all it was an outstanding performance from the defense. Rab is solid and Macolm has improved greatly from her freshman season. Allie Cooper has gotten stronger this year and doesn't let anyone push her around in her end, she's also improved her shot and have a few good chances and an assist. They've gotten much more dependable this year and I would be happy to have them playing for me.

Also, I think the comment about Maj Nixon by leeb was way off base and a retraction should be posted. Remember, these girls most likely read this message board, so think about the consequences of the way you word your criticism might do to their confidence.

[rpi_fan03]

The defense is not weak...although I will agree that up to this point there is still much left to be desired...but this does not lay squarely on the shoulders of the D rotation.
Defense needs to be a team attitude...it does not start in the defensive zone but in the offensive zone...I think so far (I have seen the Union game and the Utica game) the big let down in my eyes has been a lack of team communication beginning with offensive/neutral zone transition...which was a HUGE key to the defensive efforts of last year...and this is the major culprit of inconsistency in all aspects of the game.
During the Utica game it seemed like a lot of the time players were not stepping up and taking ice away from opposing players (with and without the puck) but instead were swinging at it in desperation. While it is good, in theory, to play with an attitude of desperation (and thus the willingness to always give 100%) it is better to play with an attitude of confidence. This RPI team has too much skill to not go into games confident (do not read cocky) if they give 100% they have the skill to be in any game and most likely to win any game.
I must also point out that having a new coach means a different learning curve for the entire team...usually it is just the frosh class learning new systems....this year it is everyone. I know there are other teams out there who have to deal with whole new systems, but it is usually not under this type of circumstance.
So give them time and I can say for sure this aspect will get better.

Anyway, my confidence in not lacking in this team for 2 reasons...
1. They still have yet to lose a game despite having all types of adversity on and off the ice...and have pulled out a tie and a win in games where they were down with little time left to play
2. Personally knowing these girls, there is no doubt in my mind that if they stick together and everyone of them commits to a single goal they will prevail in achieving that goal

So my advice to everyone...look out cuz the train is still rolling:D

[Red Cloud]

With my travels this season I haven't been able to get to a women's game yet, but I am looking forward to seeing them play at home against MIT and Clarkson this week! Clarkson took Elmira to school a few weeks ago, but this will be the third game in as many nights for both schools, although one of RPI's games is against hapless MIT... hoping for a good game and an upset of course. I know the girls are really looking forward to playing Clarkson and will be hungry for a W in that one.

[Ralph Baer]

The RPI-Clarkson game this Sunday will be broadcast on WRPI both over the air and on the net.

[starsparents]

My opinion on this one, Clarkson is a first year team, new players, but have done real well in all the important areas, (team defense) I think, with Clarkson`s overall team defense, coupled with some nice offensive weapons up front, plus RPI`s lack of big scoring, will translate into a 5-1, or 4-0 win for Clarkson-again my opinion only

[leeb]

Well, RPI_fan03 makes a good point in that defense is a team effort. But I did notice on at least a few instances against Utica where the defense for RPI was ridiclously out of position and it lead to some good scoring chances. Positioning is something that can be easily fixed.

Speed is something that can't be and I stand by my statement that Nixon is just not fast enough to be consistently effective on D. I'd also say the same about Dielwart. Believe me, I like her as a player (great slap shot, etc.) but she gets beaten to too many pucks and is too easy to skate by (even though she's got a wicked long reach).

[Bearcat44]

Originally posted by leeb

Speed is something that can't be and I stand by my statement that Nixon is just not fast enough to be consistently effective on D. I'd also say the same about Dielwart. Believe me, I like her as a player (great slap shot, etc.) but she gets beaten to too many pucks and is too easy to skate by (even though she's got a wicked long reach). [/B]

I don't mean to single you out, but please only post criticism of players if you understand the game of hockey, which clearly you do not. Most girls on the team have a stronger wrist shot than Dielwart's slapshot. What makes is seem that she has a "great" slapshot is that it often starts high then drops down to the ice before it reaches the goal, making it difficult for the goalie to follow the puck, thus resulting in points. Most players get this effect with a quick snap-shot or a weak wrister. Most of these points in this situation are due to poor opponant goaltending and defense. These shots will not and don't get points against good teams.

While Nixon and Dielwart may not be the fastest players on the team, they bring other aspects to the table which make up for their lack of speed. Nixon is a leader on and off the ice as an assistant captain. She's strong, but she may just need to use her strength more. Dielwart is the tallest player I think I've seen in the league. She needs to use her size more than just utilizing her reach. If she hits the weight room and increases her foot speed, she'll be more capable to handle odd-women rushes and one-on-ones. I've seen her use her size to her advantage, and when she does, she's solid defending her own goal, she just needs to do it more.

As far as team defense, I agree that this is the most important aspect of any team. Defense wins games. Period. Where this team lacks defensively is getting the puck out of the zone, and this is not a blame on the defense, but the forwards just as much if not more. Many of the wingers are too high on the boards on the break out and have a tough time handling the puck off the boards, and the centers often don't swing down low enough to receive a safe pass from the defense. But, and I can't stress this enough, the TEAM, both forwards and D, have given up too many scoring chances because they don't get the puck across the blueline from five feet inside the zone. All they have to do is bank it off the boards to get it out. When they get in trouble is when they try to carry the puck around a pinching D or forechecking forward who strips the puck and goes in on an odd-women rush, creating a completely unecessary scoring chance. This is something that coaching can effectively address and remedy, and I urge the team to make this adjustment. Get the puck out the zone!!

[leeb]

Bearcat44 -

So possibly my choice of words concerning Dielwart's shot was a bit of an exaggeration. However to say that "most" girls on the team have a better wrist shot than Dielwart's slapshot is ridiculous. Watch the team during warmups. At least half of those girls couldn't shoot a decent wrister if they wanted to. At least half get nothing on it and couldn't place one if they wanted to. I would say that the top offensive players for RPI have excellent wristers (Aho, Welte especially, Langille, etc.).

I don't see what I am saying or have said about individual players as criticism, simply observation. I mean absolutely no ill-will toward anyone.

My prior observations were that Nixon and Dielwart are not good skaters, that's all. I'm sure I could make the same statement about other players on the team but those two are the ones that I've especially noticed so far.

[betterthanU]

I often wonder how many of you who write here in this column actually know the slightest thing about hockey. I appreciate the one person who did mention that if you don't know what your talking about...to not talk like you do. I mean seriously, everyone has so much negatively towards individuals, yet based on the lack of knowledge you portray here it just shows me that those "slow liability" players could skate circles around just about everyone of you. Sounds like everyone would like the womens team to be comprised of Langilles or Ahos , but I'm happy to see them so well-rounded. One persons weakness is anothers strength. Langilles speedskating cancels out the so-called 'dragging arse' that your portray Dielwart and Nixon to have. However, Langille can't man the blueline like those two can. This is what makes a team. Anyone know anything about that?...I guess not, too busy picking apart individuals. I hope those girls sweep this weekend as I'm curious to see if you'll always have negative remarks...even when this outstanding team proves to dominate not only their league, but the D1 teams as well. Is this one of those columns where out of shape (never made it big) supposed 'ex-athletes' vent about those who made it? I'm a newbie, fill me in.

[hab]

I think that a sweep this weekend is a bit unrealistic, but no harm in hoping. I think that RPI fans will need to have a little patience with this women's team this year, but the potential is certainly there to be a solid top 10 team and maybe even top 5 by the end of the year. Half of their goals so far have been scored by the three rookie forwards, so I think that there is good reason to believe that they have more depth than last year. But everyone needs to keep in mind what they have been through. It is a huge transition for Burke to move from Asst Coach of a mens team to head coach of a women's team: the games are very different and what works in one just won't cut it in the other. He will need to learn the women's game and at the same time learn what each of his players can do for the team. Fans will need to give him time. At the beginning of the year I said that in their match-ups against D1, RPI would beat Union and Sacred Heart (they tied and won) but lose to Vermont, Clarkson, and Quinnipiac. If they can make one of their games against Clarkson or Vermont a close one, I will consider that to be very positive. These are both more solid D1 teams than either Union or SH, and goals will be very hard to come by.

[starsparents]

I think they`ll have trouble, Vermont will be the closer game, but again, not enough scoring, and finishers who understand offensive hockey (most college teams have problems) and it may be close- I think Clarkson will be way too much for RPI -but either way it should be a great weekend experience for RPI

[hab]

This is the first of 10 broadcasts of the women's RPI games, on www.wrpi.com, today, Nov 16, 2 pm EST.

[WRPIhockey]

The website is www.wrpi.org.

[purple_and_gold10]

kudos to RPI for picking up a HUGE tie against D1 Clarkson today...RPI may be emerging as a bigtime contender this year and they may challenge Manhattanville to them extreme for this year's ECAC East title!!

[hab]

Final score 2-2. Great result for RPI, as they take their record against Div 1 teams to one win, one loss, and two ties. Great job by the WRPI folks in broadcasting the game. Sounds like the better conditioning of a Div one team that is about 10 games into their schedule resulted in them dominating in the last half of the game, but goalie Schiff held RPI in it. Considering that this Clarkson team is the same one that beat Elmira twice and has also knocked off a few Div 1 teams early in their first year, this is a tremendous result for the Engineers.

[Red Cloud]

Rick Seeley was absolutely livid during the first intermission. I don't know what happened, but he came out of the vistors locker room, slammed the door shut, and then stormed out the back door of Houston Field House. He returned about 5 minutes later.

During the 2nd period he absolutely berated Kira McDonald, the Clarkson goalie, right out in Section 11. He looked like he was blowing a gasket.

Good job, Engineers, way to frustrate!

[hab]

Sounds like Seely is letting the pressure get to him a little early in the season. We are talking about a goalie here who pretty well single handed made his team respectable out of the gate in Div 1. This road trip has brought them back to reality a bit. Now he knows how Niagara felt when they got beat by a hot goalie...good job Rosina!

[cscvt]

It is good that this can be a "feel good" result for RPI but they should be realistic that it would take an incredible effort and a little help from the other team to beat Manhattanville or Elmira. Anything can happen on any night but those two teams are pretty strong favorites over RPI in my opinion.

[starsparents]

Nice job by RPI!!!
however, shots on goal were 48-12? Clarkson?? nuff said

[Bearcat44]

I missed this weekend's game against Clarkson, but that's a great achievement for this team. Great job ladies, and keep it up. My only question is, what happened with the shots? 48-12? RPI's 'tender must have played off her rocker! Where are the RPI shots?

Also, Manhattenville and Elmira? This team can take them. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Clarkson beat Elmira by a decent number of goals? This is more than a "feel good" outing for RPI. It shows that they can play...