WHKY: North Dakota opens season against the Rensselaer Engineers

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -

The University of North Dakota women's hockey team will open its regular season on the road in upstate New York. North Dakota will face RPI in an ever-important non-conference game right out of the gate.

When playing in the WCHA, non-conference games can make or break a team's post-season hopes. This weekend is no exception and North Dakota hopes to win its first game in Troy, N.Y. this weekend. Veterans returning to this ice for the green and white understand that importance of this weekend. "We know what it's like to drop games early and, I guess, be punished for it at the end of the season," senior, forward Layla Marvin said.

Head coach Brian Idalski said that the focus is to win hockey games, but that the team needs to be patient with where its at at this stage in the season.

The last time the teams met at the Houston Field House, RPI swept North Dakota. Last season, the Engineers traveled to The Ralph for the season opener where North Dakota took the game 7-1.

Last weekend North Dakota struggled offensively in their exhibition against the University of Manitoba Bisons. The lone goal credited in the second to Anna Kiponen. The puck came off the skate of a Bisons player before entering their net. North Dakota gave all three goaltenders a workout during the exhibition.

Live stats will be available for tomorrow's game (5:00 p.m. CST) and Saturday (1:00 p.m. CST) match-up at RPI Athletics. You can also follow @UNDWHockey on Twitter for updates.

North Dakota will continue its caravan on the road through October 16th. The first home game of the season will be a Saturday afternoon match-up against the gritty, Bemidji State Beavers on October 17th.

Pirri leaving RPI for shot at AHL

The mass exodus of players at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute continues, as they have now lost two great underclassmen hockey players. Seems a little late to me and almost borderline unethical for professional teams to be signing college players this close to the beginning of the school year. Like another hockey blogger mentioned, there is probably no way that RPI can adequately replace this player without pulling a recruit that may or may not be ready to play this season in college.

Yahoo Sports - Less than two weeks after losing forward Jerry D’Amigo, another crack in the foundation is looming for the RPI Engineers.

Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that star centre Brandon Pirri is set to play with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL this season and that he has already agreed in principal to a three-year entry level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. Like D’Amigo, the signing would end his NCAA eligibility after one season with the Eastern College Athletic Conference school located in Troy, New York.

The news comes less than two weeks after RPI lost ECAC rookie of the year D’Amigo—who left the school after signing a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Right-winger Jordan Watts also left the program recently over ice time and transferred to Division III Adrian College.

According to sources, Pirri has already told RPI head coach Seth Appert of his intention to leave school and sign with the Blackhawks.

Appert did not reply to an email request for an interview.

D'Amigo Signs With Maple Leafs

Here is the official announcement on RPI star Jerry D'Amigo, in my opinion he was one of the better freshman in college hockey last season but everything that I have read on the kid leads me to believe that he wasn't/isn't going to play in the NHL this season so his signing does puzzle some.

NHL.COM --- Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms on a three-year entry level contract with forward Jerry D’Amigo (pronounced dah-MEE-goh).

“We’ve been very pleased with Jerry’s progression over the past 12 months,” said Burke. “Seth Appert and the rest of the coaching staff at R.P.I. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) have done a really nice job of preparing Jerry for the next stage in his development. We look forward to having him at training camp.”

D’Amigo, 19, appeared in 35 games with the R.P.I. Engineers of the ECAC last season, recording 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) and 41 penalty minutes. The 5-11, 208-pound winger ranked fifth nationally in points per game by a rookie (0.97), led R.P.I. in game-winning goals (3), and finished second in shorthanded goals (1). For his efforts, D’Amigo was selected to the ECAC All-Rookie Team and he was named ECAC Hockey’s Rookie of the Year.

The native of Binghamton, New York, represented the United States at the 2010 World Junior Championship in Saskatchewan. D’Amigo finished tied for third in tournament scoring with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in seven games to help lead Team USA to a gold medal.

Report: D'Amigo leaving RPI

This would be a big loss for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jerry D'Amigo was a beast during the WJC and one of the best freshmen in the ECAC. This is just another early departure and a big time loss for RPI and college hockey. According to Yahoo Sports D'Amigo could end up playing in the AHL for the Toronto Marlies or in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers.

Yahoo! Sports is reporting that RPI forward Jerry D'Amigo will be signing a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, possibly as early as Wednesday.

D'Amigo, a native of Binghamton, was a sixth-round pick in last year's NHL draft by the Leafs. If he signs, the Leafs could assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, or he could play for the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, who hold his junior hockey rights.

He was the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year last season. [Parting Schotts]

Links to the Story

Adios D'Amigo: Leafs To Sign Prospect Jerry D'Amigo, Leaves RPI [Bleacher Report]

Leafs may sign U.S. junior star D’Amigo [TheRecord.com]

RPI's D'Amigo leaving RPI [Union Hockey Blog]

Just talked to . . . Jerry D'Amigo [Rangers Rap]