5 Takeaways from a High-Scoring Weekend in Buffalo
RPI scored 14 goals en route to a weekend sweep over Canisius
Well, that certainly felt good. 14 goals from 11 different guys. Nearly every skater on the scoresheet. There were things we could nitpick here and there, but on the whole, it was a pretty darn good way to start the 24-25 campaign. Especially for a team missing its 1C and (arguably) best player.
Here are our biggest takeaways:
1. The Defense Can Move!
It didn’t take long to notice the new look defensive unit. Only a couple minutes into the first period, Will Gilson sprung forward and skated the puck deep into the offensive zone, weaving his way around the Canisus defenders to start a good spell of possession for the Engineers. And it would only continue from there. You couldn’t help but notice the three defensemen transfers all over the ice.
The McDermott-Gilson pairing, in particular, was dominant all weekend, both in the defensive zone and when they were together on the powerplay. They won puck battles when they needed to, but where they really shined was in transition. There were countless times when the puck would leave the offensive zone, end up with one of McDermott or Gilson, and they would immediately send a line-breaking pass up to a forward to start a new spell of OZ possession.
This idea of counterattacking as soon as the other team loses the puck is aggressive, but with the right players who can make the incisive passes needed, it can be hugely successful and lead to constant offensive pressure.
2. Beaton Moves From Center to Wing, and Thrives
One more subtle change in the forward group has been the coaching staffs’ decision to move Beaton out to the wing, instead of center, where he’s played for most of his RPI career. It’s a move that’s been made possible by Rainers Rullers, who has jumped straight into heavy minutes at center and has excelled.
At center, Rullers takes on more defensive responsibility, which has left Beaton in more of an “outlet” role. Rullers forces the turnovers/wins the puck battles, and then once the puck is back with RPI, Beaton can carry it forward into the offensive zone – something he excels at (just go watch his goal this weekend if you need proof).
Ideally, the team will have Sutter Muzzatti and Jordan Tonelli back in the lineup sooner rather than later, but the fact that Beaton, Rullers and Gagnon were immediately able to take on some tougher matchups and thrive is not a bad sign at all.
3. Hotson-Tinling-Lee Line Firing on All Cylinders
It’s no surprise that the Hotson-Tinling-Lee clicked this weekend – they’ve been playing together since the start of training camp and got their fair share of reps last season as well.
They looked good the first time they joined up in the series against Minnesota State last December, but it feels like they hit a new level this weekend. The three of them were on the first powerplay unit with Bergmanis and Smolinski, and were a constant threat, generating scoring chances left and right.
Their passing was quick and incisive, looking almost second-nature to them. If they had a bit more luck, they probably would have even scored a few more times on the 5-minute major penalties that kept coming RPI’s way.
4. Jagger Tapper Makes an Impact on the 4th Line
Not only did Jagger Tapper score his first couple of goals this weekend, but he also rang another shot off the post, set up a couple of scoring chances, and had several good defensive actions to break up play. It was probably as good of a first weekend as he could have imagined.
Tapper probably isn’t going to score 2 goals every weekend, but it’s clear he’s up to the college level. And for a team that needed some good depth pieces, Tapper looks like he could be a perfect fit. The defensive work is there, and he’s clearly got scoring upside as well. Certainly going to be an exciting guy to watch going forward.
5. An Improved Forecheck Reduced the Load on the Defense
One reason RPI gave up so many goals last season was that they couldn’t get long enough spells of offensive zone possession to give their defenders a break from defending. That was not the case this weekend. This weekend, RPI forechecked hard and effectively. They retrieved pucks after shots, forced turnovers, and didn’t give the puck away as frequently. It was relentless.
When the Engineers did end up in their own defensive zone, it wasn’t perfect. They had some bad moments akin to what we saw far too often last year: unsuccessful clears, blind passes leading to turnovers, etc. The difference is that they just weren’t in the defensive zone nearly as much.
Niagara should be a similar test this weekend. Let’s go score 14 more.