Article from Albany, NY Paper (Times Union) about RPI game

This article is pretty good I think.

Source: [www.timesunion.com]

Engineers steamrolled by a Big Red machine
By BUZZ GRAY, Special to the Times Union
First published: Saturday, March 16, 2002

LAKE PLACID -- Too much forechecking. Too much discipline. Just too much red.

That's what the Engineers of RPI were up against when they faced Cornell in a semifinal matchup in the ECAC hockey championships Friday night.

They could barely make a dent in the Big Red machine and so swallowed a 3-0 loss at Olympic Arena. Cornell, the top seed, dominated from the outset and moved on to tonight's final against Harvard, a 3-2 overtime winner against Clarkson in Friday's other semifinal.

"They (Big Red) are less about personnel,'' RPI coach Dan Fridgen said. "You could put one name on the back of all their jerseys. That's how much they play as a team.''

The Engineers (19-13-4), who will meet Clarkson in today's consolation at 4 p.m., could never find a way to penetrate Cornell's defensive blanket. They weren't even awarded a power play until 5:19 remained in the game, and by then, the Big Red was embracing a 3-0 lead and smelling victory.

"If you don't score the first goal off them, it can be tough,'' Fridgen said. "They play so solidly on defense.''

RPI, which was outscored 9-2 in three losses to Cornell this year, never got untracked Friday. After a stirring 2-1 comeback win against Dartmouth on Thursday, the Engineers couldn't find the formula against the Big Red.

Meanwhile, Cornell built its early lead from an unexpected source. Freshman defenseman Charlie Cook, who had never scored a collegiate goal, collected two of them back-to-back to give the Big Red a 2-0 lead.

Both of Cook's scores came from slap shots just inside the blue line. His second one, 7:02 into the second period, appeared to have caught RPI goalie Nathan Marsters in a screen.

"One of the strong points about this team is that somebody different seems to step up every game,'' Cornell coach Mike Schafer said.

Cornell (24-6-2) has been ranked nationally all season but is still looking for respect.

"I'm always hearing about how we have no offense. How slow we are,'' Schafer said. "But we find a way to get it done.''

In what looked like a replay of Thursday night, the Engineers spent most of the first period pinned in their own end. Cornell controlled the puck, preventing RPI from mounting any kind of attack.

The Big Red converted on its first power play opportunity when Cook discovered what it was like to beat a college netminder. The defenseman's slap shot from the right point found its way through a forest of legs and into the RPI cage just 4:42 after the opening faceoff.

Ironically, the Engineers had been doing a better job of killing off the penalty than at even strength until Cook's goal 14 seconds before Andrew McPherson stepped out of the penalty box.

Cornell goalie Matt Underhill was rarely challenged. One of his few big time stops came against Steve Munn when he picked off the Engineer's point-blank shot with his glove.

"I think that was the only Grade A shot I faced in the game,'' said Underhill, who registered his third shutout of the season.

No quotes from Murley.

Japsta!

And Coach Fridgen made his token cogent comment of the year.

He was probably anxious to get home and watch some Three Stooges videos.