RPI Doing it with Defense
The following article appeared in the December 10 issue of the Times Union.
By MATT GRAVES
Special to the Times Union
TROY -- With three of his top four scorers gone after last season, RPI coach Seth Appert knew there had to be a greater impact from his defense for this to be a successful season. That was a tall order with four defensemen also graduating.
What has transpired so far has been nothing short of a pleasant surprise from the blue line. The pesky Engineers are allowing a half-goal per game less than they did last season through an 8-4-3 start that finds them ranked fifth nationally with a 2.20 goals-against average going into Saturday afternoon's home game against seventh-ranked Boston University (8-3-5).
"Considering what we lost in Paul Kerins and Jerry (D'Amigo) and Brandon (Pirri), I knew we were going to have to work and fight and scratch and claw to become a three-goal-a-game team offensively," Appert said. "Defensively we needed our team defense to be at 2.25 or less. We're there right now. That's a combination of our goaltending, of our defensemen and also how hard our forwards are willing to backcheck."
Complete article can be accessed via the Times Union Web site by clicking here.
