Final thoughts and observations from Sunday's RPI-U.S. National Under-18 team exhibition hockey game at Houston Field House, a 5-4 victory for the Under-18 team.
— Under-18 left wing Jerry D'Amigo can't wait to get to RPI next season.
D'Amigo, a Binghamton native, committed to RPI over the summer. He is excited to be coming to Troy.
"It's always on my mind," D'Amigo said. "It's a good thing for the future, and for me as a player to develop."
D'Amigo helped set up the Under-18 team's first of three power-play goals in the second period. Shaking off a check by future teammate Erik Burgdoerfer behind the RPI net, and got the puck to Chris Brown. He passed it to Cam Fowler at the left point, and he skated up the left wing, went behind the net and stuffed it past goalie Allen York.
"He's a solid player for us," Under-18 coach Ron Rolston said. "He's a great, great character kid. He has a lot of leadership abilities for our team. He competes every night. You know what you're getting out of him every single night. He's got great speed. He makes things happen with his speed."
I asked RPI coach Seth Appert about his play, and he couldn't comment because of NCAA regulations.
— The new two-referee, two-linesmen system has already annoyed the RPI fans.
Referees Harry Dumas and Bob Ritchie combined to call 26 penalties in the game. There were 21 penalties in the final two periods.
There were 24 power plays in the game.
Appert doesn't believe the way Sunday's game was called will be the norm this season as teams get used to two refs calling penalties. There were 17 penalties in the RPI-Vermont game Saturday.
"I thought the officiating in [Saturday's] game was very good," Appert said. "For whatever reason, there's a lot called [Sunday]. I felt the teams took some unnecessary ones."
— The game didn't count, so the stats won't, either. But the Engineers' power play looked good.
They scored three goals in 10 attempts. They had solid scoring chances.
RPI scored just 12 power-play goals last season. If the Engineers are going to be successful this season, they need to be more effective on the power play.
Sunday's game was a good start.
— It was celebrity night at Houston Field House.
NHL Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque was there, watching his son, Ryan, on the Under-18 team. Ryan Bourque had two assists.
Also there was NHL referee Kerry Fraser.
My three-star selections:
1) Kyle Palmieri.
2) Chase Polacek.
3) Josh Rabbani.
Good Night, Good Hockey!
