An important characteristic of any team with the immediate goals of rising in national rank, producing a name for its school, and going deep in the NCAA tournament is the ability to soundly defeat lesser teams. Non-league opponent Merrimack entered Sunday night’s contest with a record of 1-7-1 and departed afterwards with their eighth loss. But what does this say about RPI?
It appears that the 2006-2007 Engineers aren’t looking past teams that pose lesser threats. They aren’t toning down the intensity. They aren’t using “easier” games as tune-ups. Instead, the Engineers are coming out onto the ice and establishing who the better team is. On Sunday night, they did this by making good on two power plays within the first three minutes of the game. They’re putting points up and maintaining their winning-caliber focus. The Engineers are burying teams when given the opportunity.
And unlike the drama of Black Friday, a 3-1 lead for the Engineers was enough for a regulation win, as they added one more and sent the Merrimack Warriors home with a 4-1 loss. Sunday night was especially good because of RPI’s newfound status as a Division I hockey power. Losses, or even ties, to teams with poor records will prove devastating to the Engineers’ ranking down the stretch. It is vital that RPI continues to play and win as a team, developing and growing as a unit.
And in order to accomplish this, all the Engineers must do is keep up the good work. This season, they’ve pulled off a big upset against tough Denver, tied Boston University, and snatched the Governor’s Cup away from Colgate to end up with an impressive record of 4-1-3.
And what do these successes do for the RPI men’s hockey team? As of Monday, the Engineers have moved up two slots and are now ranked 16th in the nation. It is an exciting achievement for first-year coach Seth Appert and his squad, which entered the season unranked, but the test will not be over until the end of the season. As soon as this Friday, the Engineers will have to overcome Sacred Heart and their five-game winning streak. But if the Engineers can continue their one-game-at-a-time approach, and stay true to their maxim of “never say die,” the Field House on Friday night should be treated to another outstanding Engineers hockey performance. Go Red!
