ryan@cloud9.DEC (Mike Ryan DTN 264-8280 MK01-2/H32) (04/01/85)
Semi-finals: Providence 4, BC 3 (3 OT) RPI 6, Minnesota-Duluth 5 (3 OT) Consolation: Minnesota-Duluth 7, BC 6 (1 OT) Championship: RPI 2, Providence 1 (no OT!) So, how could RPI and Minnesota-Duluth top Part II of the BC-Providence story: the previous night's triple-overtime game? No problem, they just played their own triple-overtime thriller and added a healthy dose of offense in an even more exciting game!!!! After those semi-finals (and an OT consolation, Duluth over BC), RPI's one-goal victory over Chris Terreri & Co. Saturday night was actually anti-climactic, despite Providence's ability to stay in the game down to the final seconds. The RPI-Duluth game has got to be one of the greatest games ever played (a plague on ESPN for A. Not broadcasting it live (it was on tape the next morning) and B. Cutting half the first period and half the first OT to fit it in - they didn't cut the commercials, or the between-period interviews). RPI got the first goal, but the lead see-sawed the whole time, with neither team managing a two-goal lead at any point. A great game all the way - lots of offensive pressure, which the defenses and goalies handled pretty well. It was also a very physical game, with many penalties called. RPI did not give up a single power play goal, even with two two man disadvantages. Mark Baron had two goals in a row early in the second period to give Duluth their first lead. George Servinis scored a remarkable short-handed goal (actually it's his specialty) early in the third period for RPI - on a one-on-one breakaway goaltender Rick Kosti went out to try to shove the puck away as a defender tried to check Servinis. The defender went down, Servinis somehow kept his balance and turned around to knock the puck into a deserted net. Duluth scored the next two goals to take a 5-4 lead, but Ken Hammond put one in for RPI with 1:52 left in regulation, then RPI just missed on a breakaway opportunity with :05 left. The difference was a controversial brawl just after the end of the 2nd OT; skipping the details, the set of penalties handed out (to Bill Watson and Mark Baron of Duluth and Ken Hammond and Pierre Langevin of RPI) gave RPI a power play at 4:00 of the third OT. RPI is the best power play team in the country, and took full advantage of it. John Carter put in a shot (tipped by a Duluth defender) with 15 seconds left in the penalty. The stage was set for the first all-Eastern final and first Eastern Champion since BU beat BC in 1978. The championship game was a good one, too, but as I said before, anti-climactic. Providence played surprisingly well (and even aggressively!). RPI was obviously still a little tired from the previous night's marathon, and Providence played more offensively than I'd seen them play before in an attempt to take advantage of their (relatively) well-rested condition. It nearly worked - RPI could only manage one goal in each of the first two periods, and Providence scored in the mid-third and kept up the pressure the rest of the way. However, Daren Puppa was equal to the task, and turned aside every threat. The Providence goal ended a remarkable (especially considering their recent opponents) RPI streak of (I think) 32 consecutive penalties killed. There were a few short-handed goals in that streak, including Servinis' breakaway on Terreri in the second. Terreri went down, Servinis went around him. Both goalies made several excellent saves, and Tereri certainly earned his tournament MVP award with 250 saves, 11 goals (.958 save percentage) in 5 games against some of the best teams in the country. The All-Tournament Team included Tereri; Hammond, Mike Robinson (not Tim Friday - 1 goal, 2 assists vs. Duluth???), Adam Oates (4 assists vs. Duluth), and Servinis for RPI; and Bill Watson of Duluth. Tereri was the first goalie ever to make over 100 saves (102, to be exact) in the NCAA tournament. This year's final (16,283) and tournament (39,462) set all-time attendance records for the tournament. Not bad for an East-dominated tournament held in Detroit (yes, yes, I know, a lot of it was due to over-confident Michigan State fans - it's still impressive). There were a few thousand RPI fans who made the trip. I wish I had. I'll admit, I was a little over-excited when I predicted an 8-2 RPI semi-final win, and I underestimated Duluth. They do have an excellent team (and probably would also have beaten Providence). Bill Watson of Minnesota-Duluth was the Hobey Baker Award winner. He will sign with the Chicago Black Hawks. All I've seen of him was the game against RPI (which I guess wasn't one of his best), so I'll withhold flaming on the neglect of Adam Oates (he'll get it next year). Some observations on Providence (from the Boston Globe): "The Providence strategy sounds almost silly. The idea seems to be let the other team take a million shots - or 65 or so - at Terreri. He will stop most of them. The other team will become frustrated and over-eager. The other team will make mistakes, which will lead to a few Providence breakaway opportunities. Providence will use those opportunities wisely. Providence will win the game." Don't knock it - it got them to the national final with, to put it kindly, somewhat less overall talent than one expects of a Final Four team. It's called making the most of what you've got, and Steve Stirling would probably deserve Coach of the Year if it weren't for the incredible job Mike Addesa did in building, training, and motivating the RPI team. While Providence was just looking to make a good showing in the Hockey East playoffs, RPI spent the entire season preparing for that championship game. The quarter-final loss to North Dakota last year taught them a few things: how to play a more physical, checking game; and the value of stamina. Addesa had the players taking aerobics classes every Sunday night all season long. He had them skate for four hours on Christmas night. They were determined from the start to take it all, and they did. See ya in Providence '86, Mike Ryan
jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) (04/03/85)
Mike Ryan's comments on the final game were very informative, but he
neglected to mention that RPI's second goal shouldn't have been allowed.
The player who scored the goal (Sorry, I can't remember his name. It's
the first NCAA game I've ever seen.) entered the face-off circle long
before the puck was dropped in RPI's end, skated up to intercept a pass
between the Providence point men, then raced down the ice and scored.
It was a beautiful play, but also illegal, and it probably wouldn't have
been possible if he hadn't had the head start he got from taking off early.
I'm sure RPI is worthy of the national title, but it would have been
interesting to see what would have happened had that goal not been allowed.
--
Jeff Richardson, DCIEM, Toronto (416) 635-2073
{linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd}!utcsrgv!dciem!jeff
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!dciem!jeffryan@fremen.DEC (Mike Ryan DTN 264-8280 MK01-2/H32) (04/09/85)
Damn, Jeff caught me!! Yes, George Servinis' short-handed goal was 'tainted' by the fact that he was all the way across the face-off circle before the puck was dropped. Even I expected a whistle, but none came. Providence won the face-off, the puck went back to the corner, and Servinis intercepted a pass and headed straight for Terreri. He never broke stride once he moved (before the puck was dropped) - just skated the length of the ice. You've still got to give him credit for grabbing the pass and then beating Terreri (not many others did the last month). I'm glad you agree RPI is worthy of the title. Even if Providence won, I don't think anyone would really consider them the best team in the country (if you do, you'd probably believe Villanova could win a best four-out-of-seven series with Georgetown). Depth does count for something, you know. Speaking of Providence, Steve Rooney was playing for the Canadiens inside a week in their big game against Quebec. As a matter of fact, he nearly scored a goal. They've got to be praying Terreri doesn't turn pro. There are rumors flying around that RPI coach Mike Addesa might go to Minnesota. The same thing happened last year (regarding Maine, I believe), when Addesa was looking for a full-time assistant and more funding. I hope that's all it is this time - Addesa is really the most valuable part of the team. Mike Ryan