RPI Hockey 2018 - 2019: 28 Guys Skate onto a Rink ...

[Wicked Slappaahs]

First off would have been nice to steal one in ND. No hockey gods on our side this weekend and you kind of had to figure that. With that being said, we just need to score on our chances. We had plenty but how do we run into two hot goalies back to back? Burgess has no puck luck right now, Friday gets absolutely robbed, Saturday gets stopped on a breakaway. Ott gets hooked/slashed on Friday semi breakaway no call. In the slot earlier on PP and puck hops on him last minute and winds up shaking it and the story goes on. I think split the top line and put either one of the guys second or third line for some more balance. Some of our D hold puck too long and get smothered. Its gotta move quicker, gets those lanes open. Savory is #1 Perry is #2. With all that.....I still see this team as a 7 or 8 seed possibly 6 at end of year.

Just my opinion feel free to rip apart.

Burgess has disappointed. Period. Injuries have played a major role, but are not completely to blame. Pure goal scorers simply bury pucks --he has not shown that ability in college. With half a season to go , I see no reason to expect him to score with any regularity....but sure hope he proves me wrong.

[Ralph Baer]

Adam Oates?

Thanks ⁦@HockeyHallFame⁩ and Steve for the quick tour. Some of the greatest ⁦@NHL⁩ and hockey memorabilia. Hey ⁦@keeperofthecup⁩ let’s get some more ⁦@RPI_Hockey⁩ in the hall. pic.twitter.com/99KEgVkPcW

— Coach Dave Smith (@RPI_HockeyCoach) December 3, 2018

[Noresmen]

For what its worth here's my opinion on the state of the team ....

Transfers ..... While I expect all 3 to get into game action during the Christmas break to the season, I would think that only Bear will be a steady contributor since he was a solid performer for UMass. The other two played very small roles if you could call there time at the others schools even small roles so I'm not expecting much from them.

Goaltenders .... IMO Perry deserved the start on Saturday. He came into the game and stopped 16 of 17 shots. He looked a little rusty, understandable since he hasn't played in 9 mos. With the Saturday start going to Savory I believe you will see Savory in net this weekend starting with Yale. Savory is Smith's goalie recruit and Saturday night he played 10 Freshman so I think that shows the direction he is moving in.

Goal scoring .... You can say all you want about Burgess not scoring on the breakaway on Saturday, should he have? Probably, but he's not a pure goal scorer and I do believe there are a couple of players on this team that can be. The problem is we don't have enough players with vision to be able to get the goal scorers the puck when they are in scoring position. RPI still is a selfish team from an individual player perspective. This team will have forwards or defenseman in open areas with clear lanes to the net and instead of moving the puck to them shots are taken when there is no hope of them getting through to the net. You will never get more then 2 goals per game until that changes and I put that blame on the coach. Make players accountable.... film sessions will clearly show all what needs to be done and if they continue to play like that sit them, bench them, pull them out of the lineup. Only then will you see real change in goal scoring.

The dreaded trap .... if you're going to play the trap then play it aggressively not passively. That's what this team does, a passive trap. I've never seen teams break out as easily as RPI's opposition.

I listened to the telecast this weekend and other bloggers write about Hayhurst, Lacka and Lappenen being the #1 line. They've played 4 games together and generated 1 even strength goal. That does not make a #1 line. Stop with rotating personnel not only game by game but how about period by period and even shift by shift. No one likes to hear the word chemistry but you certainly are going to generate it or even know instinctively where your linemates are going to be if you don't play consistently with the same people. That goes too for the Dmen. Stop playing 7 Dmen in a game go back to just 6. Just because the rules changed and you can dress 19 skaters doesn't mean you actually have to do it. Most of the programs don't dress 19 and certainly not to play 19 equally.

IMO there have been signs of improvement, small signs but there could be a lot more.

Just my thoughts for today.

[FlagDUDE08]

UMASS was below 500 last year, and now it seems like they can't lose. Maybe they cut the right guy?

Perry going in on Friday pretty much solidified the original plan was for Marshall and Savory to split the weekend duties.

Hayhurst, Lacka, and Leppänen are definitely the top line. Which means the top D-men will go against them. When you're a one line team (remember the Carey line from SLU a few years back), and the other lines can't do jack, you're easy to beat. Doesn't matter how many players you dress.

[Noresmen]

UMASS was below 500 last year, and now it seems like they can't lose. Maybe they cut the right guy?

Perry going in on Friday pretty much solidified the original plan was for Marshall and Savory to split the weekend duties.

Hayhurst, Lacka, and Leppänen are definitely the top line. Which means the top D-men will go against them. When you're a one line team
(remember the Carey line from SLU a few years back), and the other lines can't do jack, you're easy to beat. Doesn't matter how many players you dress.

Love to here your explanation as to WHY they’re the #1 line? And Notre Dame didn’t match them up like they saw them that way.

[Ralph Baer]

Love to here your explanation as to WHY they’re the #1 line? And Notre Dame didn’t match them up like they saw them that way.

I would agree that they are our top line at the moment. The question is can they play like they are our top line. Hopefully, we will find out against Brown and Yale.

[FlagDUDE08]

Love to here your explanation as to WHY they’re the #1 line? And Notre Dame didn’t match them up like they saw them that way.

Because it is the line of forwards that has produced the most in the past two months worth of games. Show me a group that's done better, even if you replace just one on the line.

[Noresmen]

Because it is the line of forwards that has produced the most in the past two months worth of games. Show me a group that's done better, even if you replace just one on the line.

So if I’m understanding you correctly because as individuals they’ve produced that by them being together as a line that makes them the #1 line. If that’s your thought process .... for me I don’t see it that way but one could understand your thought process. Lacka has 1 pt in 4 games. As does Hayhurst and I believe Lappenen may have 2 pts.

Time will tell with this upcoming games. I didn’t think that unit performed too well this weekend. But that’s just my opinion.

[Ralph Baer]

So if I’m understanding you correctly because as individuals they’ve produced that by them being together as a line that makes them the #1 line. If that’s your thought process .... for me I don’t see it that way but one could understand your thought process. Lacka has 1 pt in 4 games. As does Hayhurst and I believe Lappenen may have 2 pts.

Time will tell with this upcoming games. I didn’t think that unit performed too well this weekend. But that’s just my opinion.

The whole team didn't perform that well, at least based upon scoring. Let's give the line a few more games.

[FlagDUDE08]

The whole team didn't perform that well, at least based upon scoring. Let's give the line a few more games.

To be fair, it has had four games. Remember that Lacka came back from injury. Of course, prior to that, we weren't doing so hot, either.

[RPI67]

I totally agree. If they would just chip the puck from the defensive zone out to the neutral zone it would give them time to either change or to go pressure the opposing player with the puck. If the opposition isn't intimidated by you, they will stay right in your face. They have no need to back up because they know you don't have the skills to get around them. The same can be said about the offensive blue line. Throw the puck in deep and pressure the D men. You will NOT score goals trying to work from the side walls or stick handle into the zone. You have to get the puck in deep. These two strategies (offensive pressure and defensively chipping the puck out into the neutral zone) buy you time. Time to change or time to decide what you next move will be. If you are constantly being pressured you don't have that time. Good teams like Notre Dame know not to give the opposing player time and space. Teams like RPI have to limit time and space for the opposition. It is so easy to be intimidated by talented players and back away from them. It's exactly what they want. And if you don't intimidate the opposition, don't try and do what they do. Dump it in and finish your check. Make them look over their shoulder and the puck will be left unattended. Just like focusing on each shift to get better, focus on each dump in and each opportunity to pressure the puck and have someone in front of the net. Get one goal. Then focus on the next one....

I agree. Nice analysis Dr. D. A few more faceoff wins and faster out of the D zone will build confidence and make a difference.

[Ralph Baer]

To be fair, it has had four games. Remember that Lacka came back from injury. Of course, prior to that, we weren't doing so hot, either.

A problem is that we don't have a second line which can score.

I wonder what has happened to Jerry this year offensively. He seemed promising as a freshman.

[FlagDUDE08]

A problem is that we don't have a second line which can score.

I wonder what has happened to Jerry this year offensively. He seemed promising as a freshman.

Probably the same thing as Marshall: sophomore slump.

One player that really impresses me as having a knack for crashing the net and making good plays, even if he is a sophomore, is Donovan Ott. He seems like someone that would really benefit from good play-making and finding of openings. Not sure if he has the chemistry with Wiffen, but I'd look to Ott if you want to see some magic happen.

[engineerhockeyfan]

A problem is that we don't have a second line which can score.

I wonder what has happened to Jerry this year offensively. He seemed promising as a freshman.

We can debate the scoring issue all we want, but after 13 games this season, Polino leads the team with 3 goals.
That is not going to cut it. We have a serious problem and I don't see anyone stepping up.
I can only hope that one of the three new players coming in will make a difference.

[Ralph Baer]

I can only hope that one of the three new players coming in will make a difference.

We can hope, but I am pessimistic.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

We can debate the scoring issue all we want, but after 13 games this season, Polino leads the team with 3 goals.
That is not going to cut it. We have a serious problem and I don't see anyone stepping up.
I can only hope that one of the three new players coming in will make a difference.

As we've had occasion to say for far too long, the dearth of scoring is not a new phenomenon. 😡

[Wicked Slappaahs]

I totally agree. If they would just chip the puck from the defensive zone out to the neutral zone it would give them time to either change or to go pressure the opposing player with the puck. If the opposition isn't intimidated by you, they will stay right in your face. They have no need to back up because they know you don't have the skills to get around them. The same can be said about the offensive blue line. Throw the puck in deep and pressure the D men. You will NOT score goals trying to work from the side walls or stick handle into the zone. You have to get the puck in deep. These two strategies (offensive pressure and defensively chipping the puck out into the neutral zone) buy you time. Time to change or time to decide what you next move will be. If you are constantly being pressured you don't have that time. Good teams like Notre Dame know not to give the opposing player time and space. Teams like RPI have to limit time and space for the opposition. It is so easy to be intimidated by talented players and back away from them. It's exactly what they want. And if you don't intimidate the opposition, don't try and do what they do. Dump it in and finish your check. Make them look over their shoulder and the puck will be left unattended. Just like focusing on each shift to get better, focus on each dump in and each opportunity to pressure the puck and have someone in front of the net. Get one goal. Then focus on the next one....

In theory all of this makes perfect sense. But when you're playing a top tier team, whoever they send over the wall is bound to have size, speed and skill. Time and space is hard to come by and a simple chip up the wall often ain't so simple.

[FlagDUDE08]

We can debate the scoring issue all we want, but after 13 games this season, Polino leads the team with 3 goals.
That is not going to cut it. We have a serious problem and I don't see anyone stepping up.
I can only hope that one of the three new players coming in will make a difference.

No kidding. And after what happened in the exhibition, what the heck happened to DiGrande? Can't keep up with the D-I play? Told not to go for the net?

[Ralph Baer]

No kidding. And after what happened in the exhibition, what the heck happened to DiGrande? Can't keep up with the D-I play? Told not to go for the net?

He only had a 50-4-7-11-69 line last season in the USHL including playoffs, He's probably not a scorer.

[FLHockeyMom]

He only had a 50-4-7-11-69 line last season in the USHL including playoffs, He's probably not a scorer.

Hahaha you beat me to it, Ralph. But I was also going to mention.... in his 3rd year in the USHL.... as an over-ager..... So yeah, I'm in total agreement with you.