RPI graduates Matt Murley and Andrew McPherson excelled in their first NHL game with the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday night against the New Jersey Devils at Pepsi Arena.
Murley, the MVP of last year’s Engineers squad, had a superb night on the power play, capped by his first NHL goal. Originally from Troy, he received more than 100 requests from family and friends for tickets to the preseason game because it was played in nearby Albany.
“It’s a dream come true to play my first game [in Albany]—a great feeling,” said Murley, who signed with the Penguins on August 3. He was pleased that he would play his first NHL game alongside McPherson, his Rensselaer teammate for four years. “It’s great to have a guy [on the team] that I know already.”
McPherson faired equally well on offense, creating numerous opportunities for the Penguins offense and showcasing the gritty play that Engineers fans had become accustomed to the last four years.
Although the hockey game ended in a 4-4 tie in overtime, it certainly was one of the most gripping, intriguing NHL games I’ve seen in quite a while. Both the Penguins and Devils showed periods of greatness, but neither could maintain that momentum through the full 60 minutes.
The Devils dominated the Penguins early in the game’s action, with three goals in the first period scored by Patrick Elias, Colin White, and Dave Roche. Their players’ prowess kept the Penguins’ juggernaut power play unit off the ice by not taking any penalties. The lethargic Penguins, on the other hand, were only able to manage a single goal by Alexander Selivanov.
However, as the game progressed, the second and third periods of the game told an entirely different story. As if a pendulum had swung downward, the momentum quickly shifted decisively in favor of Pittsburgh.
The Penguins began the steep climb back in the second period with Murley’s goal at 12:16. The Devils fought back with a power play goal by Oleg Tverdovsky from Scott Niedermeyer and Mike Rupp at 14:42 but the Penguins again crept closer when Randy Robataille found the back of the net at 16:02 to make it 4-3.
Despite tying the score in the third period with a Hans Jonsson goal at 4:06, the Penguins also could not maintain their momentum for the rest of the period. The struggle for control could not be solved in the later stages of the game by either side, and Pittsburgh and New Jersey skated to a draw. Neither Murley or McPherson saw ice time in the overtime with Pittsburgh playing a right-sided four on four, so hometown heroics could not happen.
Murley and McPherson hope to continue the success they enjoyed in that game and join the elite group of Rensselaer alumni who currently play in the NHL, including Joe Juneau ’91 with the Montreal Canadians and Adam Oates ’85, who recently achieved fourth place on the all-time NHL assists list with the Washington Capitals, and spent the playoff run with the Philadelphia Flyers before moving on to the Mighty Ducks of Anahiem. Recent Engineers have also cracked into the NHL, including Brian Pothier ’00 and Brad Tapper ’01 both with the Atlanta Thrashers.
Murley and McPherson are not the only graduates from the class of ’02 who have found their way into preseason action. Marc Cavosie, who decided to forego his senior year at RPI to go pro with the Minnesota Wild, has also had an impressive preseason, despite not posting any points. Jim Henkel did not pot any points with the Los Angeles Kings, and was sent down to the AHL. Former captain Steve Munn signed on with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and will start the year at their UHL affiliate, the Elmira Jackles. Chris Migliore signed over the summer with the Trenton Titans, and is planning on playing in the ECHL this year. Jim Vickers will join Migliore in the ECHL, playing for the Jackson Bandits.
Despite the pressure put on them to compete for a spot at the NHL, Murley expressed no concerns about not making the club and playing at the AHL level in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. “I’m still young. It’s my first [professional] season—just working on becoming a better player each day.” Both Murley and McPherson were sent down to the AHL.
