Playoffs Part Duex

This is what it is all about right here. Union has been the perpetual cross town rival of RPI's. They are the younger program and infuriatingly they have had more success over the last 15 or so years (or at least better seasons). They are also the number 1 team in the ECAC this year. No question about it. They also have beat up on RPI, going 3-0 and outscoring them in bunches (see USCHO's recap of the statistical horrors below).

However, RPI is peaking, they are riding high. They had a strong finish to the season and really put the pedal down against Clarkson. They are a team which every playoff team should fear, because they are a HOT team. Union meanwhile split their last 2 games against the C's and haven't played in 2 weeks. Yes, they are 14-4 in the ECAC but if RPI keeps up its hot play, they may fall in game.

Game 1 Prediction: RPI 3-1

Union is going to knock the rust off eventually, they are just too good so I expect them to bounce back and beat up on RPI, maybe 5-2 in the second game.

The third game, that is for all the marbles. Call me crazy but I have confidence that RPI will keep skating hard and because they ARE playing Union, will give them that extra edge and I think they will actually down the number one seed.

Game 3 Prediction RPI 3-2

I think the lads are really on to something and despite going up against one of the best teams in the nation, much less the ECAC they have momentum on their side. If they can keep up the intensity, they can definitely win.

GO RED, GO WHITE!

As always, here are USCHO's picks:

No. 10 Rensselaer at No. 1 Union

Both Union and RPI fell victim to Colgate’s playoff run last season, yet each team still made the NCAA tournament thanks to an at-large bid. There’s no way the Engineers get in this year without winning the Whitelaw trophy, and they’ll have to go through a Dutchmen team that’s gone 3-0 against them this season, outscoring them by an aggregate of 15-4.

Interesting to note that RPI is staying at a hotel, according to Ken Schott of the Schenectady Daily Gazette, despite the fact that Union is their closest league rival.  By doing so, they’ll look to avoid any distractions and focus solely on their play on the ice, something that’s helped RPI turn it around in the second half. But they’ll need more than that to take down a tough Union squad.  Union in 3. ( 4-2, 1-2 (OT), 4-1).

Read more: http://www.uscho.com/ecac-blog/2012/03/08/ecac-quarterfinal-picks-march-9-11/#ixzz1odSBYdqO

Wowy Wow Wow

Unreal, unbelievable, un(in)conceivable! RPI, my hat is off to you. You lads, you have been struggling all year. You might have read my disheartened posts or others on the blogosphere about the start to the season but man, you proved us all wrong over the last three days.

Your foot was firmly on the accelerator. All the games, all the periods, you lads came out firing and never let up. Game 1, 5-1 win. Then taking Clarkson to multiple overtimes, outshooting them all around but bitterly losing. Then, not taking any period off in the third and deciding game but winning in 4-1 fashion.

Whew! Applause, whistling, stomping of feet. No matter what else happens in this ECAC playoff, NO ONE can take this series, this weekend away from you. Bathe in it, enjoy it, you earned it.

Sincerely,

One VERY happy RPI fan!

Playoffs!

After blowouts suffered against the Q and Princeton, RPI bounced back last weekend with wins over Colgate and Cornell. Since January of this year, RPI's record has been 7-6-3, decidedly a .500 record but much, much better than most of the season.

In a similar timespan Clarkson, RPI's opponent in the upcoming ECAC playoffs, have gone 6-6-1, a very similar record. Head to head Clarkson has had the better of the Cherry and White going 2-0 and outscoring RPI 7-3. Still, it seems that RPI has at least righted itself in this storm of a season and will prove competitive against Clarkson, who any RPI fan knows, still sucks.

RPI also has some other bright spots to look at. This playoff series is on the road where RPI has had a much better record than at home (6-8-1 away, 4-10-2 at home). Clarkson, however has been dominant at home, 10-3-2. This dominance is surprising considering that Clarkson actually scores less goals than their ECAC opponents over the course of the season (Clarkson averaged 2.59 goals for but a crazy 2.79 goals against).

Looking at all of these stats can make you go cross-eyed but clearly Clarkson has the edge overall. Still, with RPI's improved play, you have to give them a puncher's chance in this series, especially with the goaltending and offense finally coming alive. I will never bet against RPI, I am officially predicting they will win this series but if they drop it 2-1, it wouldn't surprise me either.

As Always, Go Red, Go White!