RCNJ

On Friday November 19, the RCNJ sponsored a trip to an RPI women's basketball game. The Lady Red Hawks were participating in the Stevens Tech Tournament in Hoboken, NJ. After Stevens Tech defeated Cal Tech in the opening contest, Rensselaer took the court against the John Jay Bloodhounds.

Senior forward Kaitlyn Saunders scored the first six points for Rensselaer, as they raced out to a 22-0 lead. The score at halftime was 41-2 in favor of the Lady Red Hawks. The blowout continued in the second half, as Rensselaer coasted to an 88-13 victory.

For the game, each Rensselaer player had at least four points. The leading scorer was Saunders with 17 points (chipping in 7 steals), followed by freshman Tory Lyons 12 points (five rebounds) and Brittney O'Neal 9 points (eight rebounds). For John Jay, guard Latrice Blakely had 11 of the team's 13 points.

The RCNJ attendees for this game were President Sandeep Nandy '94, Sudeshna Nandy, and James Alfonso (Sandeep's co-worker who did not attend Rensselaer).

As a result of this victory, Rensselaer advanced to the tournament championship game against Stevens Tech. Despite a strong effort by the Lady Red Hawks, Stevens Tech won the contest, 75-71. Saunders scored 30 points in the title game.

For her efforts in these two contests, Saunders was named the Liberty League forward of the week for women's basketball.

Rensselaer's season record stands at 1-1. They return to action on Tuesday November 30 with a road game at Williams College. The team's home opener is on Tuesday December 7 against Oswego State.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, the RPI Men's Hockey Team hosted the 54h Annual Rensselaer/Bank of America Holiday Tournament, finishing second to a determined team from the Air Force Academy. On Friday night, the Engineers shut out the Robert Morris Colonials 2-0. Brad Farynuk and Kevin Broad scored power play goals for Rensselaer. Jordan Alford made 17 saves for his first collegiate shutout.

In the championship game, Air Force sophomore goaltender Peter Foster made 32 saves to shut out RPI 1-0. RPI went 0-for-11 on the power play.

Next week, Rensselaer is on the road in games at Brown and Harvard.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The RCNJ is sponsoring a trip to a minor league hockey game on Sunday, December 5, 2004. We are going to see the Trenton Titans host the Johnstown Chiefs. Opening face-off is 3:00 pm at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton.

Tickets are $12.50 each. If you are interested in attending, please mail a check for the appropriate amount payable to "Joe Pilaro."
Please include a self-addressed envelope and mail to Joe Pilaro '55, P.O. Box 7463, Princeton, NJ 08543-7463.

For more information on the Titans or directions to the arena, please visit the team website at http://www.trentontitans.com/.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Joe at pilarj@alum.rpi.edu.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, Rensselaer's Men's Hockey Team traveled to our area for games with Yale and Princeton. On Friday night, RPI traveled to New Haven and defeated winless Yale, 5-2. This ended a three-game Engineers losing streak. Five different players scored for Rensselaer. Andrew Martin made 17 saves for the win.

Saturday night, many RCNJ members attended the game at Hobie Baker Rink. RPI never led in this game, and ended up on the short end of a 3-2 score.

Keith MCWilliams had two goals for the Engineers. Andrew Martin made 22 saves but got stuck with the loss. Princeton goaltender B.J. Sklapsky made 18 saves for his first collegiate win.

A bizzare element in the game came midway through the first period when referee Frank Murphy signaled a delayed penalty on RPI. Princeton goalie B.J. Sklapsky was pulled in favor of an extra skater. A Princeton defenseman inadvertantly hit an RPI forechecker in the shin pads with the puck while attempting a long breakout pass. The puck rebounded off the Rensselaer player directly into the empty Princeton goal. Referee Murphy ruled that there was no goal. An official must blow his or her whistle in a delayed penalty situation if the penalized team gains "posession and control" of the puck.

The question is whether the deflection off the RPI player should have resulted in an immediate stoppage. The NCAA Delayed Penalty Rule (4-9.a) states that a "rebound off the goalkeeper, the boards, or any accidental contact with the body or equipment of an opposing player" shall not be grounds for the whistle to be blown. An argument could be made that play should not have been stopped and that RPI should have been awarded a goal in that case.

However, later in the NCAA Ice Hockey Rulebook, the Interpretations Section states that no goal should be credited to the penalized team in a delayed penalty situation if the "impetus for the goal" comes from a player on the penalized team. Some people interpret this to mean that in a delayed penalty situation, the only time a goal can be scored against the non-penalized team is if a non-penalized team player shoots or passes the puck into his own goal without the puck stiking an official or an opposing player.

The reason this was a critical play in the game is because Princeton scored on the ensuing power play and ultimately won the game by one goal.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The RPI Football Team wound up its season by losing to Union on Saturday, 18-13. The loss means that neither Rensselaer nor Union has successfully defended the Dutchman's Shoes Trophy in the last eight seasons.

RPI had the football with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and a lead, but quarterback Frank Catellier was intercepted on a third down-and-six play, and the resulting Union drive ended in the winning touchdown.

Rensselaer finishes the football season with a 5-4 overall records and a 4-3 record in the Liberty League.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The RPI Men's Hockey Team lost two games to Union College this weekend. On Friday night, RPI gave up goals in the last minute of the second and the first minute of the third periods en route to a 5-4 home loss. Saturday, Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 3-2 victory.

There are two reasons that this sweep is particularly upsetting:

1. This is the first time since Union joined ECAC Division I that they have swept the season series from RPI.
2. Union College President Roger Hull voted against RPI, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, and the other Division I play up schools on Proposition 65-1. He showed a callousness toward our tradition that should be remembered each time we meet Union on the playing field.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

RPI split two penalty-filled games at Houston Field House this weekend. On "Black Friday", the Engineers scored five power play goals to beat Clarkson 5-3. The game featured a ceremony honoring Adam Oates, the inaugural member of the RPI Hockey Ring of Honor. It also included a silent auction of the black RPI jerseys worn by the men's hockey team in this game only.

As you can imagine, a large, enthusiatic crowd turned out; Attendance was 4,980, just below a sell-out.

On Saturday night, St. Lawrence rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat RPI 3-2. Going into the weekend, St. Lawrence was ranked 13th in the USCHO/CSTV Division I Men's Hockey Poll, but lost to Union College on Friday night 6-5 before beating RPI for the weekend split.

Nick Economakos had one goal and four assists for the weekend. Kirk MacDonald scored three goals and one assist. Kevin Croxton had one goal and three assists.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dave Aiello wrote, "Jon Paul Morosi of the Albany Times Union wrote an excellent profile of Adam Oates on the occasion of his induction to the RPI Hockey Ring of Honor at Houston Field House. It's probably more accurate to say Oates will inaugurate the Ring of Honor, since his number was the first one placed in it."

"I was talking to John Cloninger while we were reading this article, and both of us thought it was one of the best written articles on the history of RPI hockey in years. Included in it are a photo of John Tiano, another member of the 1985 NCAA Championship Team, embracing Oates. Morosi rightly says 'The photograph may be the most famous in RPI athletic history.' It also includes extensive quotes from former RPI coach Mike Addesa, a rarity in recent years, and Dino Macaluso, one of Oates' best friends who works as a finacial advisor in the Albany area."

"Friday night's ceremony honoring Adam Oates is likely to be the first of several that will bring back members of the 1985 NCAA Championship Team on the twentieth anniversary of their incredible season."

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

D3Football reports that RPI ran away from Rochester, scoring 28 unanswered points en route to a 28-14 road victory. Quarterback Frank Catalier connected with Jon Branche for two touchdown passes. Jay Bernardo and Otis Williams scored on the ground for the Engineers.

Rensselaer now has an overall record of 5-3, with a 4-2 record in the Liberty League.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)