News on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hockey injury update is mixed, at best.
Sophomore center Brock Higgs and junior winger/center Marty O'Grady are "hopeful for this weekend's ECAC Hockey openers at Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
Freshman center Matt Neal (ankle) almost certainly won't play, while freshman left winger Jacob Laliberte won't play.
"Gut feeling is that Brock Higgs (finger) probably plays, Marty O'Grady (concussion) probably plays," said RPI coach Seth Appert. "Jacob Laliberte and Matt Neal probably don't.
"That's the gut," Appert continued. "Now, it's possible that three or four of them could (play), it's possible none of them could go. But I think there's a pretty good liklihood that Marty and Brock will play (but) we're not going to rush Matt and Jacob back and put them in a vulnerable position."
The 1-6-0 Engineers have been without Higgs and O'Grady for the past five games. Laliberte has missed four, Neal the past two.
Neal himself told reporters today that he will be out this weekend.
"At least they're skating, you saw that," Appert said to reporters.
Later, asked if he can't guarantee that Higgs and O'Grady will play, Appert said, "no. We may not know until Friday. We'll take them all (on the trip) and see."