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Can RPI improve, escape last place?

2012-01-15T21:47:00.007-05:00

TROY -- After Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's latest drubbing at the hands of rival Union College -- the Engineers' three losses to the Dutchmen this season are by a combined 15-4 score -- one has to ask just how many more victories RPI is capable of this year.
The Engineers have won just one of nine ECAC Hockey games thus far, have a 4-17-1 overall record and only two of the four victories have come against teams from major conferences.
In half of their 22 games, the Engineers have scored fewer than two goals and scored exactly two on seven other occasions. Save an empty-net goal against AIC, the Engineers averaged 2.0 goals per game in three games against the weaker Atlantic Hockey Conference. Against the major conferences, they score at an anemic 1.7 goals per game.
Other than the leg wound that has sidelined senior Alex Angers-Goulet for the past two games (he has just two points in 20 games) the Engineers have been healthy for six games now. Discounting that empty-netter, they've reached three goals just once -- a 4-3 loss to Dartmouth.
Only four RPI forwards have scored more than two goals this season. Sure, defense and goaltending win hockey games at all levels but scoing 1.7 goals per game will lose games in any college hockey conference.
The Engineers had appeared to be making some progress prior to the 5-1 loss at Union Saturday night but their first period at Messa Rink Saturday night was poor. Undisciplined penalties led to Jeremy Welsh's 5-on-3 power play goal early in the game, then two glaring mistakes led to a pair of shorthanded goals by the Dutchmen.
The Engineers simply aren't good enough to overcome a three-goal deficit against a team the caliber of Union.
Junior All-American defenseman Nick Bailen was both angry and frustrated, as were his teammates.
"We had three things that we said we we’re going to go out and do (keep Union power plays to three maximum, not give the Dutchmen many odd-man rushes, win the majority of faceoffs)and we didn’t do any of them,” Bailen said. “Myself included, we had breakdowns and we didn’t play 60 minutes.
“Obviously, it’s real bad right now for us,” Bailen added. “We take a step forward, then we take a step back and this was a huge step back for us.”
Rensselaer head coach Seth Appert was pleased that his team played hard throughout the third period, during most of which the Engineers (1-8-1 in ECACH) outplayed the Dutchmen (5-2-3, 11-5-6). That hardly made up for RPI’s earlier mistakes and lack of intensity.
“We didn’t give ourselves the opportunity to win,” said RPI head coach Seth Appert. “Our goal was to hold them to zero power plays, to keep the game five-on-five but we didn’t give ourselves a chance.
“We did not give ourselves the opportunity because of the lack of discipline in the penalties we took and the lack of urgency that some of our guys on the power play showed to give them two shorthanded goals.”
So, where is the Engineers’ confidence level?
Only they can answer that.
It’s clear, though, they simply are not strong enough to rip off a five-, six-game winning streak. After a trip to Brown -- the only team to lose to RPI this season (1-0) -- and Yale, the Engineers are home for four straight games. Three of those games, against St. Lawrence, Clarkson and struggling Colgate, loser of four straight. Even Yale is just 1-3-1 over its past five ECACH games.
A closer outcome against Union -- which outscored RPI 15-4 in three victories this season, certainly would have served the Engineers better.
The 12th-and-last place Engineers are six points out 11th place in ECACH and seven points from 10th place. They 1-11-0 away from Houston Field House this season and to make any climb up the standings whatsoever, they're going to have to win a couple games away from home -- Brown, Harvard, Dartmouth.
And to do so -- somehow, they're going to have to find a way to score three, even four goals in a game a few times.
Full credit to Union: Appert told the media after the game to be clear; his above comments should in any way “diminish what Union did. I thought Union was outstanding, I really like their team, I love their leaders and the passion and intensity that Jeremy Welsh plays with. And Grosenick (Union goalie Troy Grosenick) was great. I thought they were very, very good and deserving of their victory.”
Not enough effort: Appert has said a number of times recently that the Engineers have “too many guys who want it to be easy, who aren't willing to do what it takes to win, too many who aren’t disciplined enough to have long-term success.”
He was asked if he cared to mention some.
“It’s just too deep throughout lineup,” Appert said. “Just too many of them. But obviously it falls upon me and our older guys to shoulder that and obviously, I’m not doing a good job of reaching our older guys.”

2012-01-10T18:30:00.004-05:00

Prior to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's 3-2 hockey defeat to Army on Dec. 30, I stated herein that a loss to the 1-9-6 Cadets could be one from which the Engineers couldn't come back, that the season could be getting away from them.
Perhaps that was a bit overstated but ... a dismal loss it was.
Coach Seth Appert and any of the players will readily agree.
Tonight, Rensselaer hosts American International College, which is basically tied with Army near the bottom of the Atlantic Hockey standings.
If the Engineers don't end their seven-game losing streak tonight, will they be able to recover and win enough ECAC Hockey games to finish within the 12-team league's top eight teams and thus, open the preliminary round of the playoffs at home instead of on the road?
Doubtful.
The Engineers need a victory, desperately, albeit against a weak team. They MUST win.

Did Appert call out his seniors during the University of Connecticut?
That depends on the definition of "call-out" and to a lesser extent, to whom you speak.
He did bench several of them and last weekend against Dartmouth and Harvard, forward Joel Malchuk and defenseman Mike Bergin were outstanding.
Each was, well, less than good at UConn.
Tonight, all the seniors are in the lineup except Alex Angers-Goulet, who's injured, and Justin Smith, who hasn't played since October.
We'll twitter highlights of tonight's game at troyrecord.com.

M-U-S-T win for Engineers

2011-12-30T15:36:00.004-05:00

STORRS, Conn. -- Win-starved Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faces a team struggling even worse than the Engineers are, meeting Army in the consolation game of the Connecticut Hockey Classic.
The Cadets have won just one of 16 games this season -- 1-9-6 -- meaning Army and the Engineers are a combined 4-23-6. It also means that the Engineers MUST win today, or their season will soon be lose. If RPI can't beat this Army team -- or won't play hard enough to do so -- how many of their remaining 15 ECAC Hockey games can the Engineers expect to win?
I know, Army came to Houston Field House on Halloween, 2009 and beat the Engineers, 2-1. That Black Knights team, however, was much strong than this team.
Plus, several of the top Army players have been injured lately or playing hurt. Only left winger Danny Colvin, seventh on the team in scoring (1-5-6), is out today.
The Engineers haven't faced a team over whom they're a clear favorite -- since the Brown six weeks ago -- or perhaps even, all season.
Today, they do. The must shake off the consolation-game doldrums and win this game.
Only 5 D-men: So incensed with the play of the defensemen in Thursday's 7-2 loss to UMass-Lowell, he dressed only five for today's game.
He benched sophomores Pat Koudys and Guy Leboeuf and inserted sophomore Bo Dolan.
Also in the lineup is senior alternate captain Justin Smith, who has played in just seven of the team's 17 games.
Perhaps Appert hopes some of Smith's toughness will rub off on the rest of the team.
Senior left winger Patrick Cullen sits again and hard-working fifth-year senior Joel Malchuk gets a day off following a less-than-stellar game on Thursday.
Junior Bryce Merriam is in net for Engineers.
RPI's lines are (l-r) are Laliberte-Higgs-Haggerty;
Lee-Neal-Schroeder;
AAG-McGowan-O'Grady;
Tinordi-Rogic-Rabbani.
Smith is an extra winger.

2011-12-29T16:51:00.002-05:00

STORRS, Conn. -- Every now and then, coaches play hunches. Sometines, they work out, most of the time they're indifferent and other times ...
Rensselaer coach Seth Appert went with a hunch on Thursday and started freshman goaltender Scott Diebold over veteran Bryce Merriam against UMass-Lowell, the nation's No. 17 team.
Let's just say it didn't work out.
It wasn't all Diebold's fault. He was slow to react on a couple of goals but the Engineers were guilty of textbook defensive-zone giveaways on two others. Another was a shorthanded goal.
Thus, the Engineers trail 5-1 after two periods of the opoening-round game of the Connecticut Holiday Classic.
Ryan Haggerty scored for RPI on a nice close-range rebound and the 3-13-0 Engineers have continued to play hard despite the uphill battle and have actually outshot the 10-5-0 River Hawks, 18-15.
More later.

Will he (play), or won't he

2011-12-05T18:59:00.005-05:00

LAKE PLACID --Freshman centerman Matt Neal practiced with his Rensselaer Polytechnic Institure teammates all week.
No, he did not dress for today's Festivu Faceoff game against Union at the Lake Placid Olympic Center but just the fact that it was considered -- that Neal was upgraded from 'out' to doubtful caused some excitement among RPI hockey fans.
Neal tested his sore right ankle hard repeatedly.
Head coach Seth Appert, noting the non-conference status of today's game, decided not to chance agrravating the injury.
The Engineers do not play again until Jan. 28 against UMass-Lowell in the UConn Tournament, so why not give the tender ankle another 18 days, at least?
Appert could choose to use Neal sparingly at UConn, or save him for the Dartmouth game on Jan. 6, the resumption of ECAC Hockey play.
In any event, it's almost certain now that Neal, who was scoreless in four games before incurring the injury, will rejoin the team at some point.
Appert had acknowledged that he and his staff may have had to consider seeking medical red-shirt status for Neal.
That decision? To play freshman center Matt Neal or seek a medical redshirt for him.
Now it appears that decision won't have to be addressed. The Engineers, who enter play today with a 3-12-0 overall record, are a better team with a healthy Neal in the lineup.
The same can be said for freshman right winger Ryan Haggerty, RPI's second leading scorer with three goals, three assists.
He's also sidelined today.
Haggerty still has a flu-like symtoms which kept him out of last week's losses at Princeton and Quinnipiac. He didn't skate all week but could play nonetheless, but in his weakended state, the possibility of incurring an injury would be increased.
So, the Engineers, who prior to last week averaged just 1.0 goals per game, continue without to of their more skilled forwards.
The good news, of course, is that the Engineers put in five goals in their two games last weekend.
The forward lines for RPI today, left-to-right, are: C.J. Lee-Marty O'Grady-Zach Schroeder; Brock Higgs-Jacob Laliberte-Patrick Cullen; Alex Angers-Goulet-Johnny Rogic-Joel Malchuck; Matt Tinordi-Mark McGowan-Josh Rabbani.
Higgs, still looking for his first goal (0-6-6) of the season, says the team's forwards "are playing with more confidence" now.
Sophomore defenseman Pat Koudys gets a day off and fellow soph Guy Lebeouf returns to the lineup with D-men Mike Bergin, Nick Bailen, Bo Dolan and Curtis Leonard.
Bryce Merriam is in goal.
For the best highlights of today's game, follow me on Twitter by logging on to www.troyrecord.com.

2011-12-03T18:11:00.003-05:00

HAMDEN, Conn. -- Seth Appert doesn't have a goaltender controversy. And he's not trying to start one with tonight's decision to start freshman Scott Diebold over junior Bryce Merriam, who's been regarded as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's No. 1 netminder.
After Diebold shut out Rochester Institute of Technology on Nov. 25, near his Buffalo home, Appert said: "We have a tremendous amount of belief in Bryce and he's our No. 1, but Scottie is going to be a really good college goalie, with a chance to be an elite college goalie, if he continues to put in the work and the time in like he is now. Every game we played him -- now (RIT) is four, including our exhibition (vs. Acadia College)-- he's been very good and given us a chance to win.
We need to find him more playing time."
So, Diebold, with his 1.35 goals against average and 94.4 saves percentage in a shade under 178 minutes, starts tonight against Quinnipiac. To day the 3-11-0Engineers, in the ECAC Hockey basement with a 1-5-0 record, desperately need a victory, would be understating their situation.
Once again tonight, RPI must play without second-leading scorer Ryan Haggerty (3- goals-3 assists-6 points, one of just three RPI players with more than three points, whose again sidelined by illness.
Can the defense maintain its high level?: Prior to leaving for the road trip, I asked Appert that question, if he's worried that, as the RPI offensive production improves (to whatr degree, who knows?), the defense will slip from its outstanding play of the first 13 games.
"No, not at all," he said, "because we can get better. Now, I'm not saying the numbers will look better. Right now, we're at 2.00 per game (discounting empty-net goals). Can we keep our goals against at 2 -- I don't know that's hard to do. But we can be more effective."
Appert noted that while Marty O'Grady and Brock Higgs, two strong two-way players, have been back from injuries for several games, both are just rounding into form.
Highlights on twitter: For the best highlights of tonight's game at Quinnipiac, follow me on Twitter. Log on to www.troyrecord.com and go to troyrecordsport.

That awful 'Co-' brings tears to Panthers' eyes

2011-11-20T12:59:00.003-05:00

HOMER -- The Hoosick Falls girs soccer team was given state championship plaques on Sunday.
Those were not tears of joy in the Panthers' eyes, however.
Officially, Hoosick Falls and Section VIII's Friends Academy, are Class C co-champions. Neither team could put the ball into the net after 110 minutes of play.
"It's just not the same," explained Hoosick Falls forward Gracey Delurey. "You come this far, you wan't to be state champs, you want they're to be a state champion."
"Why don't we just go to PKs (penalty kicks)," Alice Hayden asked Hoosick Falls coach Tom Husser.
The New York State Public High Schools Athletic Association did away with determining state champs with penalty kicks several years ago.
Most Hoosick Falls players wore forced smiles during team pictures and when the snapping was over, the grim faces and tears returned.
"It'll hit them on the bus ride home," said Husser, who led the Panthers to the 2005 Class C state title. "Then they'll be glad they didn't lose."
Hoosick Falls had a goal by Meg McKee waved off because of offsides and Panthers goalie Hannah Fricke made a half-dozen brilliant saves, else the Panthers' hardware would read state runners-up.
More later herein.

Section II prepared Hoosick Falls well

2011-11-19T23:42:00.006-05:00

CORTLAND -- Tom Husser and his Hoosick Falls girls soccer team are one victory away from the school's second New York State Class C championship.
The Panthers can bring home the crown on Sunday as the meet Section VIII champion Friends Academy in a 10 a.m. game at Homer High School.
Husser told reporters after Saturday's 4-0 semifinal-round triumph over Section III's Tully High that Section II's outstanding soccer always prepares its state tourney entrants well.
"Mechanicville was a war," Husser said of the Panthers' 2-1, four-overtime victory in the Section II title game. "Maple Hill (in the Sect. II semis) wasn't an easy game, either. Section II, we have five teams here, represented in every class. And our (regular) season, the Wasaren League, prepares us well, too."
Husser was confident -- cautiously -- that the Panthers (20-1-1) would get past Tully.
"I told our bus driver," he said, "that we could beat them 3-0 or 3-1, but they could beat us 1-0."
Getting a goal, by Meg McKee, 6:15 into the game, was important in that regard.
Easier day for Gonzalez: Hoosick Falls senior midfielder Maritza Gonzalez had spent the entire Mechanicville game marking the Red Raiders' perpetually moving, high-scoring dynamo Abby Maiello.
On Saturday, Husser decided not to put a mark on Tully's 28-goal scorer Jessica Riggall, instead using a conventional defense on the Section III all-star.
Gonzalez played well but admitted it was an easier day for her than the chasing Maiello all over Stillwater High's field in the Section II championship game.
"Much easier," she said after Saturday's game. "And we had the ball most of the time, that helped a lot, too."

Appert stays optimistic

2011-11-09T21:56:00.003-05:00

TROY – Is it panic time for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s hockey team?
Maybe not just yet, but it’s getting close.
The Engineers have lost seven straight games, totaled just five goals in those games and lately, are just not getting enough shots to the net.
While their play has been quite good in other areas and injuries to key players are a major contributor to the unproductive offense, the Engineers need to put more shots at opposing goalies and put more past them.
In the first two games of the season, Rensselaer put 36 and 38 shots on the Minnesota (Mankato) State goal. In the seven games since, the Engineers’ shots on goal totals have been 17, 26, 17, 25, 21, 21 and 18.
That’s 20.7 per game and over any length of time, that average simply isn’t good enough.
The players are talking about needing “better execution” and admit they’re feeling some “frustration” but that they’re not near the point of panic.
“I don’t think we’re panicking (yet),” said RPI coach Seth Appert, whose real concern shows through his perpetual optimism.
“I believe our guys believe we have good team in there but we’re just not there yet,” Appert said. “I think offensively we’re pressing. That’s the issue. There are other things as well that we’re not doing as well as we need to do.”
Then, ever hopeful that any nosedive in the team’s confidence be avoided, Appert switched to things they Engineers are doing well.
“Realistically … our goals against average is about 2.22, because empty-netters don’t count,” (Appert said. (It’s 2.24 without the seven empty-net goals).
“So, it you’re giving up 2.22 goals a game through nine games and most of (the games) have been against Top 10, Top 15 teams in the country, you’re doing a lot of things well,” Appert said. “Our team defense is pretty good. It needs to get better in a few areas but it’s been pretty good.
“Our goaltending has been very good (Bryce Merriam, 2.32 GAA, 91.9 saves percentage; Scott Diebold, 2.04, 91.3), out penalty kill’s has been very good (88.5 percent).
“Offensively, we’re struggling,” he repeated, “and I think that can start to bleed into other areas and we need to make sure, No. 1, that it doesn’t, and No. 2 we have to make sure we continue to focus on things we can control. We cannot control if we miss back-door tap-ins right now. Those things are going to happen.”
And of course, no team can control the injuries or a bad call against it here and there, though the Engineers, it must be said, have paraded to the penalty box with much too much frequency and except for an instance two, the whistles against them have been warranted.
“What we can control is…how our attitude toward (ourselves) is and that we embrace this as a challenge and a great opportunity that we’re in and not as a ‘woe is me’ type of thing.
“We can control our execution of how we want to play and we can control our commitment in the Engineer way and how we want to play as a team.
“So, if we stay focused on those three things, we’re going to be just fine. We’re going to get through this and we’re going to become a very good hockey team.”

Laliberte return quite likely, Neal's highly unlikely

2011-11-09T13:20:00.005-05:00

One by one it seems, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's hockey team is getting healthy. Now the Engineers' need to do so on the scoreboard, in the 'W' column.
One of the two prized freshmen forwards who've been sidelined with injuries, Jacob Laliberte, will return to the lineup Friday night against Yale.
Matt Neal, almost certainly, will not.
Laliberte's finger injury has healed to the point where he can play, while Neal's ankle injury still has a ways to go.
"Jacob looks like he'll be back," RPI coach Seth Appert said after today's practice.
"Matt Neal, I'd say, is very highly doubtful. But almost. We're getting there."
The two freshmen, who were counted on to be among RPI's top few scorers, have both missed five games.
The 1-8-0 Engineers have lost seven straigt games and have totaled five goals in those seven games.
Appert continues to say he's "not worried about the offense...we just need to get healthy."
The Engineers host Brown on Saturday night and Union on Tuesday night.

Uncertainty among RPI injuries

2011-11-02T13:55:00.005-04:00

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."

RPI injury update

2011-10-26T13:51:00.004-04:00

Both junior center Brock Higgs and freshman center Jacob Laliberte will remain out of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute lineup this weekend against No. 3-ranked Colorado College at Houston Field House.
Junior forward Marty O'Grady, sidelined for two weeks with a concussion, has resumed light exercises but has yet to be cleared for contact. It's not impossible he could play this weekend but highly doubtful.
"We hope to have Brock and Jacob back for the Clarkson-St. Lawrence weekend (next week)," RPI head coach Seth Appert. "That's looking pretty good but it's not definite at this point."
"That's what we're looking for. Higgs and me will see the (orthopedic) doctor on Halloweeen (Monday)," Laliberte said today.

York to back up for Blue Jackets

2011-10-20T23:36:00.002-04:00

Allen York has been in Joe Louis Arena before.
When he walks into the storied building in lower downtown Detroit tonight, it’ll be quite a bit different for the former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute goaltender.
He’ll be wearing a National Hockey League uniform.
The Columbus Blue Jackets recalled York on an emergency callup from their American Hockey League farm team in Springfield on Thursday. He’ll back up No. 1 goalie Steve Mason in the Blue Jackets game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
Though he almost certainly won’t play, unless Mason gets hurt, York is looking forward to donning the Blue Jackets road shirt.
“It’ll be neat, even though I’ll be backing-up,” York said Thursday night from his Detroit hotel room. “I’m looking forward to it.”
York posted a big 4-3 victory over Michigan in the first round of the 2009 Great Lakes Invitational Tournament before he and the Engineers were beaten by Michigan State in the championship game the next night.
“That was a fun night,” York said of the victory over the Wolverines.
York, 21, has gone 1-0-0 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in two games with Springfield this season.
He sat out two games.
“I hurt my shoulder last Friday,” he said. “But it’s fine now. I just want to get into some games somewhere.”
Mason, a 5-year NHL veteran, hasn’t been spectacular this season with a 3.34 goals against average and .883 saves percentage, but the Blue Jackets, the NHL’s only winless team (0-5-1), are scoring just 2.0 goals per game. Mason would likely get a stretch on the bench but the other goaltenders, Curtis Sanford and former Colgate star Mark Dekanich, are injured.
Blue Jackets Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson said the team is “hoping to get (York) some work. Ideally, it would be at Springfield but we’ll see what happens.”
York signed his entry level contract on March 29, 2011 after he and the Engineers had completed the season, his junior year. He was season 18-11-4 with a 2.17 GAA, .924 saves percentage and two shutouts in 34 games with the Engineers.
He was named Third Team All-ECAC after he finished the season ranked third in the league in wins and GAA and fifth in saves percentage. He also appeared in four games with the Falcons at the end of the 2010-11 season, going 3-1-0 with a 2.04 GAA, .926 SV% and one shutout.
A native of Wetaskiwin, Alb., York was the Blue Jackets’ sixth pick, 158th overall, in the 2007 Entry Draft.
He finished his RPI career with a record of 37-33-8, 2.47 GAA, .915 saves percentage and four shutouts in 83 career games. He ranks first all-time at Rensselaer in GAA and is fourth in saves percentage.

York recalled by Blue Jackets

2011-10-20T14:54:00.001-04:00

Former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute goaltender Allen York has been recalled by the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets. He'll be the backup goalie for Friday night's game against Detroit.
More later.

Burgdoefer back (perhaps); Others still out

2011-10-19T18:00:00.008-04:00

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hockey players Brock Higgs and Jacob Laliberte walked around Houston Field House before the team left for the University of Notre Dame on Wednesday, each with his fractured finger in a splint.
Each was asked for his return timetable.
"Hoping for the first week of November," said Higgs, RPI's scoring leader.
Laliberte, a highly-touted freshman, echoed those words.
So did head coach Seth Appert.
"We're hopeful, that for Brock and Jacob," Appert said, "we're hopeful that they'll be available for that first league weekend."
The Engineers open ECAC Hockey league action Nov. 4-5 at Clarkson and St. Lawrence. If RPI is at or near full strength, the Engineers should have a good chance to win both those games.
"That's not a definite timetable," Appert added. "They could be back next weekend but I don't think so. I think the earliest we'll see them is that (Nov. 4-5) weekend. So, we're hoping the healing process continues to go well as it has so far and that we'd be able to have them back for the league games."
Junior center Marty O'Grady is suffering from a concussion, so he has no due date.
"You just don't know (with concussions)," Appert said. "He could be back tomorrow. Well, not tomorrow, because there's protocol about how long you have to sit out after you're sympton-free.
"You just don't know with those things," Appert continued. "He could wake up tomorrow and feel like a million bucks. But at the same point and time, (Pittsburgh Penguins star) Sydney Crosby's had this for 10 months.
"So, you can't predict that, so you don't even try to," Appert said.
With RPI struggling to score -- no goal in 132 minutes, 31 seconds -- in addition to the injuries at forward, the return of junior winger Greg Burgdoefer from a shoulder injury would be quite welcome to Appert and the Engineers.
"He looks like he's getting close to being able to go," Appert said of Burgdoefer. "He's had the injury, he's had an illness, he's been pretty beat up in the past three weeks. But my gut (feeling)is, he's going to be healthy enough to play, which will be great. We could have used his presence last weekend in a tough building (two shutout losses at Ferris State) and I think certainly we can use his presence (at Notre Dame)."

From bad to worse for Engineers; Laliberte injured

2011-10-17T14:30:00.010-04:00

They haven't scored a goal in 132 and one-half minutes. Now, add Jacob Laliberte to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers' list of injuries.
The highly-touted freshman forward suffered a fractured hand in Saturday night's 2-0 loss to Ferris State. He's out indefinitely.
Rensselaer coach Seth Appert had planned to use the talented left winger-center at left wing this season but with centers Brock Higgs and Marty O'Grady already out, Laliberte played center in both of the shutout losses at Ferris over the weekend.
So, it can be said that RPI will play at No. 6-ranked Notre Dame on Friday night without its top three centers.
Appert has to keep the Engineers from panicking over the lack of offense and falling into despair over the repeated injuries.
"We'll have to find a way to get by," said Appert, whose team has a pair of home games against No. 4 Colorado College Oct. 28-29 before opening the ECAC Hockey season at Clarkson and St. Lawrence Nov. 4-5.
"Obviously, we have to win with the players we have," Appert said. "We need our older guys - Patty Cullen, Alex (Angers-)Goulet, C.J. Lee, Joel Malchuk, Josh Rabbani, Justin Smith, Marty when he gets back healthy, have to lead."
Junior Greg Burgdoefer has been out with a shoulder injury. His status for Friday has yet to be determined.

Higgs out this weekend

2011-10-13T23:12:00.002-04:00

The finger injury to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute sophomore center Brock Higgs turned out to be more severe than originally though, coach Seth Appert said Thursday night, and thus, the Engineers will be without the centermen on their two top forward lines for this weekend's games at Ferris State.
Junior Marty O'Grady, a junior right winger who's played center thus far this season, is out with what's still an undisclosed injury.
Senior captain Joel Malchuk will center one line, likely with Josh Rabbani on his right and Matt Tinordi at left wing.
Freshman Matt Neal will center another line and senior Alex Angers-Goulet will likely headman a third. He's played left wing for most of his RPI carerr.
The fourth line could be centered by sophomore Johnny Rogic or by freshman Jacob Laliberte, who's played both left wing and center during his junior hockey career.
The highly celebrated recruit is still seeking his first collegiate point.
Appert said Thursday night from Big Rapids, Mich. that junior Bryce Merriam will start in net for the Engineers on Friday night.
Appert, a Ferris State alumnus, may go with Merriam for Saturday's game as well, or may use freshman Scott Diebold, who was sharp in a 1-0 loss to Minnesota State in his college debut last week.

RPI injury list grows

2011-10-12T14:05:00.002-04:00

Two games, a half-dozen injuries.
Add junior winger-center Marty O'Grady and sophomore center Brock Higgs to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's injury list, although it's hopeful that Higgs will play this weekend at Ferris State.
Higgs blocked a shot during today's practice and has a spint on the index finger of his right hand. He shoots lefthanded.
"I don't think it will affect him as much as it would some other skilled players," RPI coach Seth Appert said.
O'Grady is out for this weekend with an undisclosed injury.
Junior right winger Greg Burgdoerfer is skating in practice without contact, remains out for this week and doubtful for next week's game at Notre Dame.
Freshman winger Mark McGowan has yet to play because of a back injury. He could play this weekend.
Junior goalie Bryce Merriam had a sore knee in preseason and freshman right winger Ryan Haggerty also nursed a tender knee but missed no action.
The 1-1-0 Engineers fly out Thursday morning to meet a Ferris State team that beat St. Lawrence twice last week.

2011-10-07T18:38:00.002-04:00

The 2011-12 hockey season is here. Freshman goaltender Scott Diebold gets the start tonight against Minnesota State. Junior Bryce Merriam, nursing a tender knee, is in uniform. He could start Saturday night's game.
The Engineers won 20 games last season for the first time in seven years. They'd like to reach that goal during the regular season this year. Doing well this weekend could go a long way toward reaching that goal.
We'll be tweeting highlights of tonight's game at troyrecordsport.com and we'll have more herein later.
Go Engineers!

Injury update

2011-10-05T17:57:00.007-04:00

Here's the update on RPI's injured hockey players and their status for Friday night's season opener against Minnesota State.
Jr. RW Greg Burgdoerfer, shoulder, out;
Fr. LW Mark McGowan, back, out;
Jr. G Bryce Merriam, knee, questionable;
Fr. RW Ryan Haggerty, leg, probable;
As mentioned on Tuesday, the University of Notre Dame has joined the Hockey East conference and that league is informally looking to add RPI as its 12th team within the next two years.
Little is known about RPI's plans to joining HE, regarded as college hockey's best loop these days, or remaining in ECAC Hockey. Coach Seth Appert, Athletic Director Jim Knowlton and everyone else at the school declines to comment.
One thing is known. The Institute, according to sources, will extensively explore the possibility -- and the pros and cons -- of moving to the New England-based league, dominated in recent years by Boston College, Boston University and New Hampshire.
How long will RPI's internal exploration take?
It'll be sooner, rather than later, sources believe.
What are the chances Rensselaer makes the big move?
From here, in the area of 60-40, 62-38.
Yes, though the contingencies are many, it could happen!

ND to Hockey East; Loop wants RPI next

2011-10-04T15:38:00.006-04:00

The University of Notre Dame will officially join the Hockey East conference on Wednesday and begin play in the New England-based league next season.
The addition of the Fighting Irish, currently ranked No. 1 in USCHO poll, brings Hockey East's total entries to 11. Since the loop has never used a travel-partner scheduling format, it doesn't necessarily need an even number of teams. However, HE coaches and ADs complained for several years about having nine teams before Vermont was added as the 10th member six years ago.
Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern, Massachusetts, UMass-Lowell, Merrimack, Maine, New Hampshire and Providence are the other Hockey East members.
Notre Dame was a member of the Central Collegiate Athletic Conference, which was disolved by the formation of the Big Ten Hockey league and other college hockey relalighment. The Irish were turned down by the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference, which already had committed to eight schools -- Miami, Western Michigan, Minnesota-Duluth, St. Cloud State, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Denver and Colorado College -- and wanted to begin play with an even number of teams
Talk has been rampant that Hockey East will seek to add RPI to bring the conference back. That call for a major committment to upgrade from both the administration of Rensselaer President Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson and the school's Board of Trustees.
The board firmly opposed RPI's proposed move to Hockey East on two occasions decades ago. Those in RPI's academic community loved being aligned with the six Ivy League schools that field hockey teams.
Could their minds be changed?
That's the major question -- as well as, would the administration be willing to further renovate Houston Field House and increase the hockey budget significantly.
Until recently, the answers to those questions were a resounding 'no.'
Now there appears to be gray area.
Of course -- especially at this time of year -- both RPI head coach Seth Appert and Athletic Director Jim Knowlton -- declined to comment on the matter. They're focused on beginning the 2011-12 season and competing for the ECAC Hockey championship.
Stayed tuned.

Engineers picked 4th, 5th; Bailen honored

2011-09-28T12:35:00.006-04:00

Hey, Rensselaer Polyrtechnic Institute hockey fans!
The 2011-12 season in nearly upon us.
Rensselaer has been picked by ECAC Hockey coaches to finish fourth in a preseason poll. The league's media, meanwhile, foresee the Engineers finishing fifth in the 12-team league.
In balloting among the media and the coaches for a preseason All-conference team, RPI junior Nick Bailen was voted to the five-player team.
The top four finishers in the ECACH final standings, of course, receive a bye in the preliminary round of the playoffs.
Both the coaches and media expect Yale to win the ECACH's regular season title and both groups pick Union second.
Here's the coaches poll, with first-place votes in parenthesis:
1. Yale (9)
2. Union (2)
3. Cornell
4. Rensselaer
5. Dartmouth
6. Quinnipiac (1)
7. Harvard
8. Princeton
9. St. Lawrence
10. Colgate
11. Clarkson
12. Brown
Here's the media balloting, with first-place votes in parenthesis and points totals among the 38 voters.
1. Yale (23) 432
2. Union (11) 397
3. Cornell (3) 356
4. Dartmouth (1) 308
5. Rensselaer 281
6. Quinnipiac 239
7. Princeton 205
8. St. Lawrence 173
9. Clarkson 164
10. Colgate 152
11. Brown 134
12. Harvard 129

Note the vast difference between where the coaches see Harvard finishing and where the media pick the Crimson. Harvard coach Ted Donato said he wasn't fazed.
Harvard senior Danny Biega was the other defenseman with Bailen on both preseason All-conference teams. Yale's talented duo of sohpomore Andrew Miller and junior Bryan O'Neill were chosen by both the coaches and media, as was Dartmouth senior goaltender James Mello.
The coaches voted Brown senior Jack McClellan to their team, the media chose St. Lawrence's star sophomore Greg Carey.
Back to Bailen. With 8 goals and 28 assists last season, the Bowling Green transfer is the top scorer among RPI's returning players.
More later.

RPI adds goalie Diebold

2011-04-25T19:46:00.003-04:00

Some goaltending help is on the way for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Head coach Seth Appert has received a verbal commitment from Scott Diebold, a 6-foot-1, 147-pound 18-year old from the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga.
Since No. 1 goalie Allen York decided to leave RPI one year early to sign with the New Jersey Devils, the Engineers were left with only last year's backup, junior-to-be Bryce Merriam.
Diebold, who spent the 2010-11 season with the Tri City Storm of the United States Hockey League and was the team’s Rookie of the Year, said RPI was an easy choice for him, even though he picked the school from among at least two teams from the other three major conferences in college hockey.
“As soon as I walked on the (RPI) campus, it felt right to me,” Diebold said. “I fell in love with community there at the campus and you couldn’t get a better fit with the goaltending coach being the head coach.
“(And) you can’t pass up the opportunity to get that kind of education in life,” he added.
Diebold posted a 10-16-3 record with Tri-City, including four shutouts in 35 games and had a 2.75 goals-against average and 91.3 save percentage.
Appert and his staff had landed highly-touted goaltender Jason Kasdorf of Winnipeg, Man. to take York’s place for the 2012-13 season. Since York’s departure, it’s expected that Appert will try to bring in the 6-4, 200-pound Kasdorf one year sooner.
Diebold was added as insurance in case that doesn’t happen.
Half the other teams in ECAC Hockey had their sights on Diebold.
He was drafted in the 2010 USHL Entry Draft with the 278th overall pick (19th round) by the Storm. Despite the heavy recruitment this past season, Diebold said that he wanted to wait until the season was over before extensively researching schools to further his career.
“I just wanted to focus on the season and not miss practices to visit schools since there are only two goalies for practice and you need them both,” Diebold said. “I wanted to show my teammates that my focus was on the team and not my personal endeavors.”
Diebold says that his choice of major is undecided right now, but he has plenty of time to figure that out before attending classes at Rensselaer beginning in the Fall of 2012.
And he’ll have to hit the weights hard. Although coaches are prohibited by NCAA regulations from commenting on recruits until they’ve signed but Appert expressed he has no concern with Diebold filling out.
Appert also continues to express confidence Merriam.
While York was injured last season, Merriam posted a 2-2-1 record with a 2.71 earned run average and 91.3 saves percentage. Career-wise, Bethel Park, Pa. native has a 6-6-1 record in 15 games with a 2.47 GAA and 91.4 saves percentage.

York signs with Columbus Blue Jackets

2011-03-29T18:27:00.011-04:00

TROY -- "You're getting to be like a WCHA team (in terms of star players leaving early)," Rensselaer hockey coach Seth Appert was told on Tuesday when junior goaltender Allen York signed with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
"That's part of the price you pay when you recruit well and when (those recruits) perform well," Appert said.
York, drafted by the Blue Jackets in the sixth round in 2007, joins -- though no RPI fan has to be reminded -- 2009-10 freshmen stars Brandon Pirri and Jerry D'Amigo in turning pro early.
For York, it simply was a matter of the old cliche -- 'an offer he couldn't refuse.'
"It is a tremendous opportunity at a life-long dream that I cannot pass up,” York said.
The 6-foot-3, 188-pound York was assigned to the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League affilate in Springfield. He'll be in uniform on Friday night when the Falcons host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
"I'm pretty excited," York said. "It's a dream come true."
Appert was thrilled for York.
"I would like to congratulate Allen on signing an NHL contract,” Appert said. "Allen has been a driving force in our program for the last three years, pushing us to back to back winning seasons and an NCAA Tournament appearance. We wish him the best in his future as he will always be part of the RPI hockey family.”
"A lot people (RPI players) come here for a combination of a world-class education and pretty good hockey," Appert said. "Allen came here for hockey. He believed this was the best program in the country for him to develop and sharpen his skills and to progress and mature as a goaltender."
York wasn't sure he'd start on Friday night.
"They're carrying four goalies right now," he said of the Falcons. "Hopefully I'll get a start here and there. I'll just work hard in practice and see what happens."
Asked what the Blue Jackets told him, York said, "Not much. Just that they're happy I'm here and get to Springfield."
He also said he hasn't thought much about how he'd spend his first paycheck.
"Well, I'm going to need a vehicle," he said. "I'm not sure it's going to be a nice one."
The Wetaskiwin, Alb. native spoke of his time at RPI.
“The three years at RPI were the best of my life and I am very thankful to my teammates, coach Appert, the rest of the staff and the fans."
He said he came to Rensselaer "because it was a new challenge, a team that hadn't been doing well. And coach Appert was pretty persuasive with what he could do for me. And when I came (for a visit), I loved the area and loved the guys.
"I figured it was a real good fit for me," York added.
York posted an 18-11-4 record this past season, with a 2.17 goals against average and 92.4 saves percentage. He started every game but one, except when he was injured, missing three games.
York was named All-ECAC Hockey twice, earning Second Team honors after his sohomore year and a Third Team berth this past season.
He had a career goals against average of 2.47, the best in RPI history. He is third in saves percentage (91.4), fifth in games (83), starts (81) and minutes (4898:46). He's sixth in saves (2143) and shutouts (4).
Appert again stated that the Engineers will bring in a recruited goalie for the 2011-12 season but also reaffirmed his faith in junior-to-be Bryce Merriam.
"I have a lot of belief in Bryce," Appert said of Merriam, who beat Princeton 5-2 in one of his starts and gave up a total of just five goals in overtime losses to Colgate and Cornell.
"Bryce stepped up when we needed," Appert said. "He'll be 24 years old and he's more mature now."

NCAA Tournament loss for Engineers

2011-03-26T17:12:00.003-04:00

Rensselaer hockey players didn't want the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years to end with an "at least they got there" situation.
After a nightmarish second period in which North Dakota scored four goals, that's the way it turned out.
The Engineers were held to 21 shots, made some defensive mistakes and the top-ranked Fighting Sioux roared to a 6-0 rout at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
"I'm certainly proud that we made here but I'm not happy the way it ended, not happy with the score," RPI coach Seth Appert said. "We didn't come here just to be here.
"We played exactly the way we needed to play to have success in the first period," Appert said. "Then they pushed us pretty good and ... we didn't have enough resolve to stay disciplined enough in the second period to continue to play the way we needed to to have a chance to win."
Brad Malone scored the first two North Dakota goals, putting in his own rebound from a sharp angle early in the second period for a 2-0 lead.
Matt Frattin had one goal, one assist for North Dakota (31-8-3), which will play Denver or Western Michigan for the Midwest Region championship today.
"It was good that we got here," said RPI senior and scoring leader Chase Polacek. "The helped the younger guys. They'll have a game under their belt when they get back here again."
"It's not the way we wanted it to end, obviously," said senior Tyler Helfrich, "but it was great to be here. It's something the guys can build on."
"Great experience to be (in the tournament)," said RPI captain John Kennedy.
"We wish we could have made a better showing."
The Engineers conclude the season with a 21-13-5 record.
Polacek, Helfrich, Foss, Kennedy, Bryan Brutlag all ended their RPI careers on Saturday. Seniors Scott Halpern and Kevin Beauregard did not play.

RPI extends Appert's contract

2011-03-23T17:44:00.004-04:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic values hockey coach Seth Appert.
That became apparant on Wednesday when the Institute extended Appert's contract seven years through the 2017-18 season.
It's believed that Appert and RPI Athletic Director Jim Knowlton finalized the deal after Wednesday's practice.
Appert and Engineers leave early Thursday morning for the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional and a date on Saturday with top-ranked North Dakota.
It's RPI's first NCAA appearance since 1995.

Averill Park girls game 3-18

2011-03-18T10:58:00.002-04:00

Averill Park girls game 3-18

Polacek repeats as Player of Year

2011-03-17T19:02:00.003-04:00

Chase Polacek has been named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year for the second straight year, becoming the third player in the 50-year history of the league to be able to make that claim.
"That's sound neat," the Rensselaer senior said Thursday when asked how 'Chase Polacek, two-time ECACH Player of the Year sounds to his ears.
Polacek, who leads ECACH scorers for the second straight year, attended the ECACH Championship Weekend banquet in Atlantic City with RPI head coach Seth Appert where he accepted the award.
Polacek said he was "a little" suprised to win the award again because, "point-wise, I didn't put up the numbers I did last year."
Consult the Troy Record website, www.troyrecord.com for more on this story.

Engineers' hopes still alive

2011-03-13T19:41:00.002-04:00

SCHENECTADY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute still needs more from far and wide in its hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA Hockey Tournament -- but the Engineers have gotten plenty so far.
As of this writing -- early in the second period at Union (the Dutchmen are tied in their quarterfinal series-deciding game with Colgate 1-0) -- the Engineers are tied for the No. 15 spot in the Pairwise Rankings, which generally picks the top 15 teams of the 16-team NCAA field, as long as seeds hold throughout the various league tournaments -- ECAC Hockey, the WCHA, CCHA and Hockey East.
The final berth is an automatic bid awarded to the Atlantic Hockey conference playoff champion. That berth, you'll remember, went to RIT, which shocked both Denver and New Hampshire at the Times Union Center.
Thus, Rensselaer could have used Dartmouth losing at Harvard but the Big Green won, 4-3.
The Engineers also need Ferris State to win at Western Michigan and Wisconsin to win at Colorado College. Western Michigan and Colorado College share the No. 12 rating in the Pairwise.
A Cornell loss to Quinnipiac would remove the Big Red as a Team Under Consideration and wipe out two RPI losses. Record against TUC teams is a key element to the Pairwise ratings.
The Big Red led 1-0 midway through the third period in their deciding Game 3.
"There's still a lot that happen (both tonight) and next week," RPI coach Seth Appert said today. "We're hoping."
More later.

Bitter, bitter defeat

2011-03-07T01:00:00.003-05:00

I don;t know which RPI's loss to Colgate contained more of - disappointment or disbelief.
I'm not that surprised at the loss, I expected it was a good possibility, based on RPI's inability to score goals against Colgate during the season, when literally every other team in ECAC Hockey did.
The fact that the Engineers followed last year's defeat to the 11th seed with an upset loss to the last-place team in the league, who's nine wins include three against RPI and three against horribly-weak Atlantic Hockey teams, is shocking. It's almost intolerable.
How RPI went 2-6-1 in its past nine games, 1-5-1 in the final seven home games is almost incredible.
It's difficult to express just how gut-wrenching this loss is. Knowing how I feel, as the local beat writer -- and I don't mind admitting I WANT RPI to succeed -- how bitterly empty the loss makes me, I can't imagaine how the players feel; what's going through Seth Appert's mind right now, and what's going on in his stomach.
With no disrespect to Colgate whatsoever -- and the Raiders deserved to win -- this loss will everyone in the Rensselaer hockey community shake their heads all spring and summer.
There were tears in the eyes of many RPI players Sunday night, even though the game had been over for nearly 30 minutes.
Chase Polacek had to fight back more tears as he greeted the media.
"This isn't what we had in mind; not how we envisioned for it to end like this," he said, adding that the defeat is worse than last year's to Brown.
"Yeah, I think it is. This is my senior year," he said. "We didn't expect to be in this position right now. I wasn't planning on this, I wasn't expecting this at all.
"I think we've made a lot of good strides," Polacek said of his four years, in which the Engineers had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in nearly a decade.
"Going from the bottom of the league to 20 wins and some pretty high national rankings," he continued. "But it really doesn't matter after this."
Polacek won two ECACH scoring titles and is a Hobey Baker Award candidate.
"I'm really going to miss it, going to miss it a lot," said senior captain John Kennedy.
"It hurts," said senior winger Bryan Brutlag. "You work really hard at something for so long and care about it so much and to have it end so suddenly, it hurts.
"I love the guys on this team," Brutlag added.
"It sucks that it's over," said senior winger Tyler Helfrich, who scored RPI's only goal in the game. "We kept fighting. They deserved to win."
"I'm speechless right now," said senior defenseman Jeff Foss.

Engineers beaten

2011-03-06T22:25:00.001-05:00

Colgate's Robbie Bourdon ends RPI's season with a screened shot from the point, as the Raiders beat RPI, 2-1, midway through the second overtime.
Postgame interviews will not by easy from here.

Second overtime coming

2011-03-06T21:57:00.002-05:00

Colgate and RPI remained tied at 1-1 after the first overtime in the deciding Game 3 of their ECAC Hockey playoff series at Houston Field House Sunday night.
Both teams had excellent chances on ovetime.
Colgate's Francois Brisebois hits the right goalpost fr om the right circle 8:40 into the period. Later, RPI goalie Allen York had to make big saves on Brian Day and Chris Wagner to prevent the Engineers from losing.
Tyler Helfrich skated behind the Colgate net, back-and-forth, then came out through the crease but couldn't get off a backhander.
Colgate outshot RPI 11-8 in the OT and seemed like the hungrier team.

Engineers tie game with goal late in second period

2011-03-06T20:23:00.002-05:00

Rensselaer and Colgate will head to the third period tied 1-1 in Game 3 of their ECAC Hockey playoffs quarterfinal-round series.
The Engineers pressured the Raiders net for much of the period but didn't create any Grade A chances. Their perserverance paid off when Mike Bergin put a shot on net. There was a scramble in front for the rebound, with players on both teams swatting at the puck.
A Colgate defender fanned on a clear try and Tyler Helfrich, on his backhand, lifted one past a screened CU goalie Eric Mihalik to tie the game.
RPI has outshot Colgate thus far, 22-12.
If you're able, follow the highlights with me on Twitter.

Engineers must travel comeback road

2011-03-06T19:41:00.002-05:00

Except for some glaring mistakes, Rensselaer had the better of the play during the first period of their deciding Game 3 in the ECACH playoffs this evening.
Chase Polacek's pass from the point was deflected by Colgate's Austin Smith, to teammate Austin Mayer, who skated in alone on RPI goalie Allen York and beat him with a backhander for the game's only goal.
Late in the period, RPI's Nick Bailen gave the puck away in the RPI zone and York had to come up with two big saves on Smith, making a sliding stop of Smith's own rebound after York made a stick save on the first shot.
Should the Engineers lose, they will have gone 2-6-1 over the final nine games, 1-5-1 in their final seven home games.

RPI Highlights here

2011-03-05T18:45:00.002-05:00

Hey, RPI fans. Follow the highights of Game 2 of RPI's series with Colgate by logging on to www.troyrecord.com and linking to RPI-Colgate hockey March15.

RPI-Colgare hockey March5

2011-03-05T17:11:00.001-05:00

RPI-Colgate hockey March5

Follow the highlights

2011-03-04T17:57:00.002-05:00

Hey, RPI fans, follow the highlights of the Engineers' playoff game against Colgate tonight by logging on the www.troyrecord.com, and finding the link, RPI vs. Colgate hockey 3-4. You can send questions and comments.
RPI's forward lines for tonight are (left-to-right)
Brock Higgs-Chase Polacek-C.J. Lee
Matt Tinordi-Johnny Rogic-Tyler Helfrich
Alex Angers Goulet-Marty O'Grady-Bryan Brutlag
Patrick Cullen-Joel Malchuk-Josh Rabbani
Defensive pairings are:
Mike Bergin-Jeff Foss
Guy Leboeuf-John Kennedy
Nick Bailen-Bo Dolan

RPI vs. Colgate hockey 3-4

2011-03-04T16:10:00.000-05:00

RPI vs. Colgate hockey 3-4

RPI Fans Chat March 3

2011-03-03T17:16:00.000-05:00

RPI Fans Chat March 3

New pact for Kirk

2011-03-01T01:16:00.002-05:00

TROY -- Kirk MacDonald is still in the minor leagues. He'll have a few more bucks -- quite a few -- in his wallet should he be recalled by the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins.
The Bruins have upgraded the Providence Bruins winger and former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute star's contract recently.
He now has a two-way -- National Hockey League-American Hockey League contract which will significantly increase his pay, should Boston recall him.
"Yeah, I wasn't expecting it," MacDonald said Monday. "I'd signed an AHL contract and that's what I've been working with. This late in the season, it was a surprise.
"Hopefully, it can leads something," else MacDonald said, hoping the Bruins could recall him soon.
'Two-way' contracts refer only to the salary a player is earning in each league (NHL/AHL), not the waiver status of a player.
'Two-way' means that players have two different salary amounts; one for when they are in the minors, and one for when they are in the NHL. If a player with a one way contract was sent down to the minors, he would earn the same salary he was earning in the NHL.
"They're making a run for the Stanley Cup," MacDonald said, noting the Bruins currently hold the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed. "Maybe I could go up and be sort of a black ace for them in the playoffs. As I said, I wasn't really expecting this."
In 61 games for Providence, MacDonald has 12 goals, 15 assists for 27 points, with 31 penalty minutes and a minus-4 plus/minus rating. The P-Bruins are in sixth in the seven-team AtlanticDivision with a 26-30-3-2 record.
While at Rensselaer, MacDonald beat testicular cancer, which prevented him from playing during his fourth year. He was granted a medical redshirt season by the NCAA.
Ironically, MacDonald's current scoring line at Providence is the same as his redshirt senior season at RPI (2006-07) -- 12-15-27. He was tied with Jake Luthi (4-23-27) for the Engineers' scoring lead that season.
In 137 games during his RPI career, MacDonald scored 47 goals, 56 assists, with 144 penalty minutes. His 103 points is good for 55th place on Rensselaer's all-time career scoring list. Senior Tyler Helfrich (32-70-102) could surpass him in the upcoming ECAC Hockey playoffs.
MacDonald says he's in great health and feeling strong.
"I'm feeling good," the Victoria, B.C. native said. "And I feel like I'm doing fairly well (on the ice). Management seems to think so.
"I'm just trying to get better and get up there (to Boston) some time next year, if not this year."

Disappointing...to say the least

2011-02-26T23:58:00.002-05:00

TROY -- A first-round bye; a 20-win regular season; a chance to enter the playoffs on a positive note. All of those items slipped from Rensselaer's hands, not only in Saturday night's lackluster 2-2 tie with Quinnipiac but also in Friday night's 4-3 loss to Princeton. If the Engineers had held the Tigers to a tie and banged in an overtime goal Saturday night, they'd have finished in third place, instead of being seeded fifth.
The Engineers played fairly well in the game but the sense of urgency, desperation -- they HAD to win to get that coveted bye -- seemed to be lacking.
"It was an outstanding hockey game. I have no problems with the way we played," RPI coach Seth Appert said.
Appert wanted to pull goalie Allen York for an extra attacker earlier than the 23-second mark that he did.
"We couldn't," he said. "I wanted to. What I would have liked to have had was an offensive zone faceoff with under a minute and a half to go (in overtime). Becuase there's no better time to pull your goalie than on a faceoff (at the other end). It allows you organization but ... because of the flow of overtime we couldn't get him out until about 30 seconds to go."
It's difficult but RPI fans to separate the horribly disappointing end to the season from the fairly successful season overall.
Four of their final six games were at home and the Engineers didn't win one of them (0-3-1) -- not one.
When I went over to the Field House when the team arrived back its 5-2 victory at Princeton on Feb. 5, I saw a confident, loose, focused hockey team. They Engineers were alone in third place with a 10-5-1 record, would be ranked in the Top 10 nationally and, as mentioned, would be at home for four of their final six games.
I was quite confident the Engineers would win at least four of those games. If someone had suggested to me they would go 1-4-1, I wouldn't have considered it, let alone believed it.
The dismal loss to Colgate in overtime, the OT loss to Cornell when the Engineers played quite well, could have gotten the team down psychologically, though they would deny that.
Chase Polacek has been playing hurt, played ill this weekend and secondary scorers have stepped up lately. The Engineers just came up one goal short, both Friday and today.
"We did a lot of good things throughout this year," Appert said. "We were 19 and 10 (with five ties). We put ourselves in great position. We didn't get the top four which we wanted but now you put it behind you and get ready for a playoff series."

Follow the Engineers tonight

2011-02-26T18:06:00.001-05:00

Hey RPI fans, follow the highlight of the Engineers' game with Quinnipiac tonight by logging on to www.troyrecord.com and linking to Quinnipiac vs. RPI hockey.

RPI vs. Quinnipiac hockey

2011-02-26T18:05:00.000-05:00

Quinnipiac vs. RPI hockey

Can Engineers bounce back -- again?

2011-02-26T00:50:00.005-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had been ahead of Princeton in the ECAC Hockey standings for virtually the entire season.
The Engineers, with their backup goalie Bryce Merriam, had handily beaten the Tigers, 5-2, in their own building just three weeks ago.
Friday night at Houston Field House, though, Princeton clearly looked like the better team. And the Tigers' 4-3 victory sent the Engineers into sixth place in ECACH, being transplaced by the Tigers.
Three freshmen scored goals for the Engineers, and that's certainly optimistic for the future, but let's face it, right now, without Chase Polacek, RPI is a mediocre team.
Polacek, who's been ill over the past couple days, tried valiantly to go Friday night but wasn't effective and was held without a point for the third straight game.
He was on the ice for three of Princeton's goals and just looked too tired while penalty killing late in the second period, when the Tigers converted on a 24-second power play after 1:36 of 4-on-4 play.
Senior defensemen John Kennedy and Jeff Foss were each on the ice for two Tigers tallies and coach Seth Appert proclaimed that his seniors weren't good enough in the game.
"We can't have some of our seniors being so 'at home' for all four of their goals. You know, our seniors need to play like leaders this time of year and again ..."
Appert has claimed all season that the Engineers will "win with our seniors" and "we'll go as far as our seniors take us.
Well, the past three Friday nights, the Engineers have lost with their seniors, including games to two teams that are well behind them in the standings -- despite their current losing skein -- Colgate and St. Lawrence.
When the Engineers returned home on after beating Princeton on Feb. 5, they seemed like a confident team running smoothy on all cylinders.
That certainly hasn't been the case lately; the 1-4-0 record, the poor play around the net, the sputtering of the team's power play.
Polacek is not 100 percent. He won't be tonight against Quinnipiac -- a game which the Engineers should flat out win anyway -- and who knows if he will be when the postseason begins, whenever that is?
The other seniors and some underclassmen have to step up in the meantime.
Rensselaer needs a week off and can get with a victory tonight and help from Yale (beating Cornell) and Union (beating Princeton).
If all three decisions go as outlined, RPI will finish in fourth place, with a 12-9-1 record for 25 points.
Win and pray.
Shake your head, scratch your head: In league play, RPI is 2-6-1 on Friday nights since winning its first league game of the season on Fri., Nov. 5 at Dartmouth. The Engineers will take a 7-2-0 league record in Saturdays games into tonight's clash with Quinnipiac.
The team needs to figure out what is behind such a stark difference between their first game of a weekend and their second.
A loss is a loss is a loss: The defeat hurt the Engineers badly. They could have gone ahead of Cornell -- which lost at Brown -- had they won.
"It hurts more because it's this time of year," Appert said. "But at the end of the day, it's no different than the loss (at) Harvard the first weekend of the ECAC season."
Tinordi plays well, scores: Freshman left winger Matt Tinordi had a good game and scored his first collegiate goal.
He outfought two Princeton backcheckers for a puck in front of the net, kept his balance while being checked as he shot the puck and slipped on under Princeton goalie Sean Bonar.
"Bruty was forechecking in the corner and he made a heads up play, kind of spun and put it right on my tape. I pushed it in 5-hole.
"It's nice, relief, because I feel like I've been battling all year, so it's nice to get one but ..."
...Right, a win would have been better.
Tinordi has played well in his recent outings.
First-chance goals hurting: Appert said Andrew Calof's shorthanded, breakaway goal marked the "fourth straight game in which we've given up a goal on basically the first scoring chance of the game, and it's not (the fault of) our goaltending.
"Yeah, we come right back and tie it but we're playing catch-up," Appert said, "but you're giving your opponent momentum early in a game, and belief, and life and offensive confidence and that's not a good thing this time of year.
"We can't give our opponents the opportunity to take the lead on us so early in the game so many nights in a row."

Playoff-type hockey this weekend

2011-02-24T23:06:00.003-05:00

TROY – Most late-season college hockey games are intense, as teams jockey for position in the standings and try to get themselves as best prepared for the postseason as they possibly can.
With just two points separating the third-through sixth-place teams in the ECAC Hockey standings however, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s two games with Princeton and Quinnipiac will bring a playoff atmosphere to Houston Field House tonight and Saturday night.
Dartmouth and Cornell both have 11-7-2 (24 points) ECACH records and share third place.
Rensselaer is fifth at 11-8-1 (23 points), while Princeton is fifth (10-8-2, 22) and those two teams clash at HFH tonight at 7.
As is well-chronicled, the top four finishers receive a bye into the league’s playoff quarterfinals.
It’s not impossible to earn a spot in the ECACH semifinals – even win a championship – from a low-seeded position. Hey, Brown did it last year, taking out sixth-seeded RPI 51 weeks ago and upending top-seeded Yale in the quarterfinals before runner-up Cornell halted the Bears in the semifinals, 3-0.
However, getting a preliminary-round bye affords a team a much “clearer path to the semifinals,” Rensselaer coach Seth Appert often says.
So, the old Field House should be rocking tonight and hopefully Saturday night against seventh-place Quinnipiac (6-9-5, 13-13-5).
“Definitely playoff atmosphere,” said captain John Kennedy. “The only thing missing is not playing (the same foe) the next night but we’re definitely going to come out intense. Both teams are fighting for that top four spot (Princeton would have to beat RPI and Union and get more help that RPI needs). It’s going to be an absolute battle.”
“Definitely,” defenseman Jeff Foss said. “It’s our (seniors’) last crack at it. It’ll be tense.”
“It pretty much is (a playoff situation),” senior winger Tyler Helfrich said. “The last few games have been playoff mentality. We know that.”
“Yeah, I think at the end of the year, it’s usually a playoff atmosphere,” said senior center and scoring leader Chase Polacek. “Games are always close, lot of teams winning by one goal or in overtime. We have to try to play this as a playoff series this weekend and try to get two wins and win the ‘series.’
Appert says he hopes Engineers fans “create a real playoff atmosphere.”
Players must be responsible: Appert, who loudly chastised and challenged the Engineers the morning after their 5-3 loss at St. Lawrence last Friday night, has said often since Saturday night’s 5-1 triumph at Clarkson, “every team has a personality and our is that we play better angry.”
He was asked at midweek what he did/will do to make the Engineers angry again.
“Yell at them a lot,” he said with a smile. “I haven’t been too jovial with them this week. But they have to take it upon themselves, too.
“(We’re) better when we’re angry and edgy,” he said. “But no matter what I do as (head) coach or we do as a staff, from Thursday at 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friday, they have to be responsible for themselves. And they have to be responsible. That’s when our seniors have to do a better job of dictating the mood in our pre-game meeting, our pre-game meal and in the locker room prior to the game on Friday night. I take responsibility for it but they have to take accountability for it.”
Real head-scratcher: During the time Princeton has won its past three games at Houston Field House by scores of 4-0, 4-1, 7-0, RPI has won four straight games at Princeton’s Hobey Baker Rink, outscoring the Tigers 18-7.
Why? How?
“I have no idea,” Appert said. “Hopefully, we’ll put an end to that (tonight) but I don’t know. “I’m sure Guy (Princeton coach Guy Gadowsky) feels the same way but I have no idea why.”

RPI Fans Chat24

2011-02-24T15:01:00.003-05:00

RPI Fans Chat24

Lee is probable ... and questionable.

2011-02-23T17:55:00.004-05:00

TROY -- RPI fans are wondering if C.J. Lee will be playing this weekend, since he was thought to be a healthy scratch for Saturday's victory at Clarkson.
Lee has an even plus/minus rating during the St. Lawrence game one night earlier, his own extra-attacker goal being the plus, but he made a big mistake on Greg Carey's first goal.
His seat in the stands on Saturday could have been a comination of his less than stellar play on Friday and his injured shoulder.
Both he and Seth Appert say he's fine but he practiced with a no-contact orange shirt on the past two days and has had the shoulder wrapped. He is expected to be "fit" to play on Friday night against Princeton but Appert has yet to decide to play him.
"He's fine ... I don't know if he'll play," Appert said of Lee.
He did like the work of Johnny Rogic's line at Clarkson, with Tyler Helfrich dropping to that line from Chase Polacek's top line. Matt Tinordi was at left wing and Appert said Rogic's unit "was the best line on the ice," as all three forwards combined for Rogic's go-ahead goal.
Second-line center Brock Higgs moved to left wing on Polacek's line, replacing Lee and Bryan Brutlag took Helfrich's spot on the right.
Marty O'Grady centered the second line with Alex Angers-Goulet at LW, Josh Rabbani on the right. The other line, arguably the third or fourth, from left-to-right was Patrick Cullen, Joel Malchuk, Greg Burgoerfer, the latter of whom deflected in a blast by Malchuk.
It should be added Appert mixed lines often during the game which he often does.
While Helfrich retains his spot on the top power-play unit, Appert quite possibly will leave him on Rogic's line. He's yet to make that decision.
After all, Polacek's line was blanked at Clarkson, while each of the other lines scored at least once.
With the importance of the games with Princeton and Quinnipiac, Appert's decisions as to who plays with whom, and how much mixing-and-matching his does, will be difficult.

Bergin almost (almost) certain to play

2011-02-23T13:47:00.003-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior defenseman Mike Bergin says he'll play on Friday night against Princeton.
Head coach Seth Appert says "I feel good about (Bergin playing). I don't know if I'd say it's 100 percent but it's pretty darn near. I expect Mike back; we need Mike back."
Appert then spoke as if Bergin will be in the lineup.
"These are very important games (Princeton and Quinnipiac) and it'll be nice for (Bergin) to get a couple of games in prior to the playoffs."
Bergin, who has two goals and 14 assists this season, has missed the past six games with a leg lacertation suffered against Yale on Jan. 29.
"He's a critical element of our 'D' corps and I anticipate him being back and we're excited about that."

2011-02-19T21:55:00.002-05:00

POTSDAM -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute returned to normalcy on Saturday night. Allen York was Allen York, the Engineers got some outstanding goals from secondary scorers and ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over Clarkson.
The triumph improved RPI's ECAC Hockey record to 11-8-1 and shot them into fifth place in the league. Sixth-place Princeton can regain the fifth slot by beating Yale on Sunday.
The Engineers are still two points behind the fourth-place spot and the preliminary-round bye in the playoffs that goes with. The Big Red are tied for third with Dartmouth.
York stopped 21 shots, defenseman Guy Leboeuf scored his first collegiate goal (an empty-netter) and the Engineers scored four times in the third period to win decisively.
"I just thought we earned a win," RPI coach Seth Appert said. "You have to ean wins this time of year; nothing is given to you. It's hard to win in February and March."
Johnny Rogic scored the tie-breaking goal for RPI midway through the second period and Marty O'Grady, Greg Burgdoerfer and Alex Angers-Goulet also tallied goals.

2011-02-19T01:08:00.005-05:00

CANTON -- Just 12 days ago, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was flying high.
The Engineers had just whipped Princeton, 5-2, on its own ice, with backup goalie Bryce Merriam starring in the big triumph, and they were sitting in third place in ECAC Hockey.
That seems so long ago, because RPI hasn't won since.
Allen York returned from missing three games with a concussion on Friday night. He wasn't sharp and neither were the Engineers' play around them -- until it was too late in a 5-3 loss to St. Lawrence.
The gave the Engineers a loss to each of the bottom three teams in the league -- St. Lawrence, Colgate and Harvard. They've also lost to eighth-place Clarkson, which they better avenge tonight or their hopes for a berth in the ECACH semifinals is going to have to be earned on the road.
Losing to the bottom team of your league -- each of them -- makes in difficult to finish among the top four teams in a 12-team league and thus get a bye in the playoff quarterfinals. Winning a regular-season title with a combined 5-4-1 record (at this point) against the bottom six teams in the league is nearly impossible. That mark, 5-4-1, is nearly as good as the 6-4-0 record the Engineers have against the five teams ahead of them in the standings.
The problem on Friday night -- other than what's mentioned above.
"We didn't come to play," said defenseman Jeff Foss, who scored one of the three RPI goals.
"That's not what we needed," ECACH scoring leader Chase Polacek said of RPI's effort. "They (SLU) played hard tonight, a lot harder than we did at the start. They wanted it more."
Rensselaer coach Seth Appert was pleased with his team's effort from a physical standpoint but their focus early-on could have been better.
"When you play St. Lawrence, it's a chaotic game, a helter-skelter game, it's a tough game for men only," he said. "I thought their (SLU's) first two shifts, we didn't really get a line change and we turned a lot of pucks over ... and they made us pay. Yorkie's bailed us out of a lot of situations like that, tonight he didn't.
"The physical play was there on both sides," Appert said. "They took advantage of a couple power plays and we didn't."
Asked if York was rusty, Appert said, "I don't know; I have no idea."
He then stated that York will be in net tonight at Clarkson, even though Merriam replaced him after St. Lawrence's final goal, with 14:10 remaining.
One of the goals York allowed was a routine shot that bounced off his glove and into the net. The one that chased him, about one minute after RPI had pulled with 4-2 on Foss's goal, was a sharp angle, from the goal line, about 15 feet away,that somehow got behind him.
The suddenly sputtering RPI power play is of more concern to Appert.
"Our power play, and our big guys, have got to step up," he said.
After scoring three goals to win the Princeton game, the Rensselaer power play has been sporadic and worse, on an extended two-man advantage in each game, it's been a big failure.
Appert gave some credit to St. Lawrence's penalty killers, answering, "both" when asked if it were a case of the ineffectiveness of the RPI power play or effective penalty-killing by the Saints.
"We had some openings that we didn't take advantage of," Appert said.
Who knows if the Engineers will get a 5-on-3 of over one minutes tonight but should they, Appert challenged the top power-play unit.
"That's their job, that's what they're out there to do," he said. "Certain guys are out there to penalty-kill, to block shots, to play defense or be defensive defensemen. But that's the third game in a row that our 5-on-3 power play has let us down and they need to deliver in those situations."
Rabbani, Lee score: With all the scoring firepower Rensselaer will lose to graduation -- Polacek, Tyler Helfrich, Bryan Brutlag, Josh Rabbani and C.J. Lee, who'll be junior next year, will each need to increase his scoring output next season.
Rabbani scored his sixth of the season Friday night with a nice spin move in front and Lee tallied the final goal, his fifth, an extra-attacker goal with 4:21 remaining.
"We pulled the goaltender for an extra guy, so coach sent me out there," Lee said. "It was just a shot on net and everyone went to the net. I found the puck and just shot it in."
Bergin still out: It had been hoped that junior defenseman Mike Bergin would return Friday night but he missed his fifth game since suffering a laceration to his calf against Yale on Jan. 29.
"I didn't start skating until Thursday and I didn't feel ready," Bergin said.
Appert said he doubted Bergin would play tonight but with a full week of practice, will certainly be back for the regular-season's final weekend against Princeton and Quinnipiac at Houston Field House.
Win and you're in -- with a little help: Since Cornell suffered an upset loss to Harvard Friday night, If the Engineers can right the ship and win their remaining three games, they'll climb to fourth place -- if Cornell loses to Dartmouth tonight or at Yale or Brown next weekend.
The Engineers (10-8-1)are two point behind the 10-7-2 Big Red but Cornell has the tie-breaker over RPI, having won both meetings of the teams. Princeton is also 10-7-2 but the Engineers can surpass the Tigers (by tie-breaker at least) by beating them, as well as winning their other two contests.

York good to go; Bergin 50-50

2011-02-16T12:40:00.003-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hockey coach Seth Appert stopped short this morning of saying that Allen York will definitely be in goal on Friday night at St. Lawrence but did declare the junior goaltender was fit, would make the North Country trip to SLU and Clarkson and that "we expect him to play..."
York suffered a concussion two weeks ago at Quinnipiac and missed three games, two of which the Engineers lost, though, as has been well-chronicled, the fault for those defeats did not lay at the feet of backup goalie Bryce Merriam.
York has practiced at full throttle both Tuesday and today.
"He's had no symptoms since last Monday," Appert said today. "So, it's been a week and a half since he's had any symptoms, so he's full go and we expect him to play Friday night.
Appert said the chances junior defenseman Mike Bergin (calf laceration)plays on Friday are "50-50. I would have said less than that at the beginning of the week. Yesterday, he was still looking pretty ginger on it. He was getting around pretty good (today) when he was out there for about 40 minutes before practice and then for then when he was out there for the first three drills of practice; he was getting around pretty good. So, I feel better that he has a chance to play this weekend and and I also feel better that if not this weekend, that he should be ready to go next weekend.
The Engineers, one point behind Cornell for fourth place and the final bye in the preliminary round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs, finish the season at home against Princeton and Quinnipiac next week.
If they sweep all four games and Cornell suffers one loss -- the Big Red must still face third-place Dartmouth on Saturday and second-place Yale next week -- they'll nail down that No. 4 spot in the ECACH standings.

York practices, Bergin skates

2011-02-15T21:34:00.007-05:00

Allen York proclaimed himself ready to play after Tuesday's practice. So have Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute doctors.
The junior goalie has missed the past three games with a mild concussion but hopes to be in the lineup on Friday night when the Engineers play at St. Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Mike Bergin skated prior to Tuesday's practice and says he'd like to play this coming weekend.
The junior defenseman suffered a gash over his right calf several games ago and while the wound has healed, his status remains day-to-day.
Bergin will practice with the team Wednesday morning.
The Engineers suffered a pair of overtime losses to Colgate and Cornell over the weekend and thus dropped from third place to fifth in the ECAC Hockey standings.
They're one point behind Cornell and one point ahead of Princeton in the battle for the fourth and final bye in next month's league playoffs.
"It felt good to be back," York said. "It was a Tuesday practice, so it wasn't a overly (loaded with) shooting."
He also said he wasn't rusty.
"No, because I skated twice (before)today," he said. "And I wasn't out that long."
Will he play on Friday night at St. Lawrence, York was asked.
"Coaches decision," he said, (but doctors say) I'm eligible."
Bergin is RPI's best two-way defenseman and the Engineers' attack is simply more potent when he's in the lineup taking regular shifts.
"I skated for about 25 minutes before practice," Bergin said on Tuesday. "It was the first time in a couple weeks, so I was pretty tight and pretty weak. So, I just gotta take it day-by-day and keep getting stronger."
Bergin said the wound, caused by an opponent's skate, is totally healed, said he'll likely follow the same schedule today as he did Tuesday.
"Just (skate) before and keep trying to strengthen it and go from there."
The chances he'll play on Friday night?
"Game-time decision I'd say," he replied.
Good practice, no problem: One might think that after a pair of home-ice, overtime losses -- one of which RPI should have won, the other the Engineers could have won -- might make it difficult for the first practice of the week to be a good one (RPI players had Sunday off, as usual, and had only weightlifting sessions on Monday.
"No, it's pretty easy," head coach Seth Appert said. "I think it's tough sometimes to get one after great wins. It's not tough to have energy after big wins, it's tough sometimes to have focus and purpose. You can feel a little too good about yourself at times.
"As I said before, these games (OT losses to Colgate and Cornell) weren't dramatically different than the 28 we played prior to them. We just made some mistakes in some key areas and gave our opponents opportunities to beat us instead of taking advantage of the mistakes they made in order to beat them.
"Other than that," Appert said, "and the power play (failures), 90 percent of those games was pretty similar to a lot of what we've done. And actually, I'd say the Cornell game was one of our better games in the second half of the season -- a lot better than we played in some of the games we had big wins in.
"At the end of the day, it's about winning and losing," Appert said, "but it's also about having a process of what we need to look like to be a good hockey team and Saturday was what we need to be a good hockey team as we head into the toughest part of the year."
Four victories -- SLU, Clarkson, Princeton and Quinnipiac -- and a Cornell loss (the Big Red have Dartmouth at home, Brown and Yale on the road) and the Engineers will have fourth place and host the Big Red in the ECACH quarterfinals -- assuming Cornell gets by last-place Colgate or Harvard in the preliminary round.

RPI needs another bounce-back

2011-02-12T13:20:00.007-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has answered challenges to its resolve and resiliancy all season.
The Engineers must do so again today. A loss to Cornell will make the Engineers' quest to finish among the top four in the ECAC Hockey standings, and thus, earn a first-round playoffs bye, a extremely tough task.
It's tough to understand why they lost Friday night's game to Colgate but without a victory today against Cornell, RPI will fall out of the top four in the ECAC Hockey standings.
Coach Seth Appert felt the Engineers played with fire. From here, that five was evident only from about four-five minutes into the game until late in the first period and for a brief time midway through the third. Unfortunately, that fire produced only one goal and later, two blatant errors by defensemen led to both Colgate goals.
Really -- while not discounting how improbable it is for Union to hold Cornell to nine shots on goal -- for the entire game -- the fact that RPI could manage only 19 shots against a Colgate strongly suggests that the fire and desire within the Engineers was sporadic.
Respecting you opponent is one thing and the ECACH has the best top-to-bottom depth of all four conferences; not jumping on a team that had been struggling in every facet is something else.
We've said before, when a team with one league win at this late point in the season comes to your building, you must win the game. The other contenders have beaten that team, or you must assume will when they play that team.
Not jumping on Colgate after Joel Malchuk's goal gave RPI a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the game is almost as unforgivable as it is difficult to understand.
Again, Appert felt his team played fairly well.
"I said before, I thought we were (metaphorically) playing with fire," he said, " maybe we won some games that we hadn't earned; maybe we were sloppy and some how or another, those catch up to you. Maybe they catch up to you on a night when you play hard and defend well but you're not able to score on the power play. That was tonight."
Senior Tyler Helfrich said Colgate’s unimposing record and poor defensive stats didn’t have the defeat any more difficult to swallow.
“No, not really,” he said. “They’re a better team than their record shows. For some reason, they play us well. A couple of bounces, it could have gone the other way but like I said, (Colgate) deserved to win.”
Again, respecting your opponent(s) is great and RPI players are quite respectful.
Look at it this way, though: Union's three ECACH losses are to second-place Yale (first-place most of the year), third-place Dartmouth and fourth-place RPI.
In addition to losing to Yale and Union, RPI, among its sixth league defeats, has dropped home-ice games to last-place Colgate and eight-place Clarkson and has lost to 11th-place Harvard. In those latter three defeats, the Engineers totaled three goals, though Colgate, Clarkson and Harvard the most goals in the league.
Now, as they've done all season, the Engineers must bounce back on Saturday from a disappointing Friday result.
Though the Engineers won 4-1 on a Friday night early in the season -- and lost at Harvard the next night, they are 6-6-2 i Friday games, 11-1-2 on Saturday.

Send Kearns thoughts; Follow game online here

2011-02-11T18:48:00.002-05:00

Two reminders fans:
Those of you who would still like to have your thoughts and memories of former RPI star and coach Garry Kearns published in Sunday's editions of The Record and online, please send them to www.eweaver@troyrecord.com.
Thanks.
No access to a radio tonight, go to the above Record website and to this blog and clic to Colgate vs. RPI 2/11 for all the hightlights.

RPI Hockey Fans Chat 2/10

2011-02-10T16:00:00.002-05:00

RPI Fans Chat 2/10

York, Bergin quite doubtful to play this weekend

2011-02-09T17:55:00.004-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer coach Seth Appert said after Wednesday's practice that junior goalie Allen York continues to make excellent progress following the concussion he suffered at Quinnipiac on Friday night.
That doesn't mean that York will play this weekend against Colgate and Cornell.
Instead, when the Engineers hit the road for the final time in the regular season -- to St. Lawrence and Clarkson Feb. 18-19, it's hoped that York will be back.
"He's doing good," Appert said of York after practice. "He's symptom-free. He's been symptom-free for two days now, so he's headed in the right direction.
"I do not anticipate him playing this weekend," Appert said.
Will York dress as a backup to Bryce Merriam?
"I don't know. We'll see," Appert said. "It's possible. There are certain protocol we have to go through with our doctors and the NCAA and those are all good things.
"More important than him dressing or playing is that he's moving in the right direction," Appert said. "He's been symptom-free now for two days. He hasn't had any headaches, he hasn't had any dizziness or any uncomfortable feeling. So, that's a good sign.
Appert addressed Mike Bergin's slow-healing laceration on his calf.
"Thirty to forty percent," he said when asked the chances that the junior defenseman will play this week.
Bergin is fourth on the team in assists with 14.
Reporters noticed trainer Chris Thompson wrapping layer after layer of clear tape around the ribs/back of leading scorer Chase Polacek.
"He's fine. Chase is 100 percent," Appert said. "This time of year, everybody has bumps and bruises. Almost everybody is getting ice and things like that but Chase is 100 percent."
The Engineers are holding down third place in ECAC Hockey with a 10-5-1 record for 21 points. Cornell and Dartmouth are both one point back at 9-5-2. The 8th-ranked Engineers (18-6-4 overall) hold the tie-breaker over Dartmouth but definitely need to beat Cornell on Saturday, regardless of how either team does on Friday night -- the Big Red at second-place, No. 9 Union (12-3-1, 20-7-3), the Engineers against last-place Colgate (1-13-2, 4-22-2).

York out this weekend

2011-02-08T18:40:00.008-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer goaltender Allen York's concussion is a mild one; not mild enough to allow him to play this weekend, however.
The slender junior will again be sidelined when the Engineers battle Colgate Friday night at 7 and Cornell Saturday afternoon at 3:30.
Sophomore backup Bryce Merriam, fresh off a big victory over Princeton last weekend, will man the pipes as the Engineers, 9-5-1 in the ECAC Hockey play, attempt to hang on to third place and put some distance between them and Cornell and Dartmouth, both 9-5-2.
The top four teams in the ECACH's final standings receive a bye into the playoff quarterterfinals.
York hung out in the RPI locker room and the trainer's Chris Thompson's room while the rest of the Engineers practiced today.
"I have to take it easy be symptom-free before I can have a week to slowly get back into things," York said. "Today, I've been good (no symptons) so far. Hopefully, that will continue and next Tuesday I can be back to normal practice and all that stuff."
On the other hand, it's quite possible that York may not be ready for next weekend's trip to St. Lawrence and Clarkson.
York doesn't like being on the sidelines but ...
"This is my sixth concussion now, so I have to be careful with them."
And, so will RPI doctors.
Merriam, 2-1-1, stopped 39 of 41 shots in the victory at Princeton. The Bethel Park, Pa. native has a 3.20 goals against average -- only 149:48 minutes -- had has stopped 91.2 percent of the shots he's faced.

York has concussion

2011-02-06T23:21:00.008-05:00

TROY -- Concussions have run rampant through the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute locker room this hockey season.
Junior goaltender Allen York is the latest Engineer to suffer one, joining C.J. Lee, Joel Malchuck, Marty O'Grady and Bryan Brutlag.
Reports on Friday night listed York's injury as "lower-body" and a most conflicting (but a bit more accurate "upper-body."
York told me Sunday it's a concussion and he would see the doctor on Monday and "go from there."
He holds out hope that the concussion is mild enough that he can play this weekend against Colgate and Cornell.
When injuries occur on the road and no local media is present, it can be difficult to get accurate reports.
As each season goes on, coaches and school administrators become more and more uneasy with even acknowledging injuries, much less commenting on them, though when a starting goaltender leaves a game, that's pretty much an acknowledgment.
C.J. Lee got his arm caught in another player's armpit in practice and twisted his shoulder. He told me on Wednesday he would play. Seth seemed to think so, too.
He expects to play this weekend, too, as does defenseman Mike Bergin (calf laceration).
Merriam shines: When the Engineers arrived from Princeton about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Merriam, who stopped 38 of 40 shots at Princeton, was asked it felt to be a hero.
“I’m not a hero, that was my job,” said the sophomore from Bethel Park, Pa. said. “Yorkie (starting goalie Allen York) went down and I had to pick up the slack for him. It’s my job to come in a take over for him.”
Having played the final 23 minutes at Quinnipiac prepared Merriam for his first ECACH start of the season and he says he wasn’t nervous.
“Friday night helped,” he said. “I think (those 23 minutes) helped with Saturday, eased the nerves because it wasn’t the first game I played in a long time (Friday night was).”
When Princeton scored twice within the first 7:33 of the third period — Derrick Pallis pulling the Tigers within 3-2 – Merriam wasn’t overly stressed.
“A little bit,” he said, “but we took a timeout and calmed it down a little bit. Then the (RPI) team really took over. Everything went well after that.”
Rensselaer captain John Kennedy was asked if it's common for a mature, veteran team like RPI, to rally around its backup goalie.
"You could say that," Kennedy said, "but I give all the credit to Bryce. He's been working very hard. He's behind Allen (on the depth chart) but at the same time, he's put in a lot of effort. It was his time to step up to the plate and he hit a home run."
Tough Tigers: Appert said that one of the most satisfying aspects of Saturday's victory -- in a game that would extend third place to the winner -- was that Princeton played well, too.
"They were very good," Appert said. "They are so aggressive offensively and put so many shots on your net. So, you wind up having a lot of puck battles at your net front. Our guys did a real good job of tying up sticks and clearing pucks."
When RPI lost 5-1 at Cornell last month, the Big Red scored several goals in such situations in front of the net.
That will have to be alleviated when the Big Red come to Houston Field House for a most important rematch at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Another reminder: Older RPI fans, send us your best memories of Garry Kearns, who, after starring at Rensselaer in the mid-50s, coached the Engineers in the mid- and late-60s, saving the Division I status of the program, many believe.
Kearns will be added to Rensselaer's Ring of Honor during Saturday's game, which will be televised nationally by NHL Network, picking up Time Warner Cable's feed.
Send your thoughts to a link to this space at www.troyrecord.com.

RPI Fans Chat 2/3

2011-02-03T16:00:00.002-05:00

RPI Fans Chat 2/3

2011-02-01T23:08:00.002-05:00

TROY -- Mike Bergin's deep calf lacertation is more serious than first thought and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior defenseman will not play this weekend.
"The muscle had to heal," Bergin said on Tuesday, who hopes to play next weekend when the Engineers return home against Colgate and Cornell.
Bergin was in the trainer's room on Tuesday when goalie Allen York, who was given a day off, picked up Bergin's crutches.
You can imagaine what your friendly beat writer was thinking when he saw that, before I realized the crutches were Bergin's. Scary!
York was given the day off, he said, "because I tweaked my neck a little the other day. I'm fine."
"If there had been a game tonight," coach Seth Appert said, "he (York) would have played."
York, Polacek double-up: Both York and leading scorer Chase Polacek racked up their second straight ECAC Hockey weekly awards, Polacek as Player of the Week, York as Goaltender of the Week.
Each talked about his repeat.
“I guess it’s special,” Polacek said, “but I don’t like to think too much about (individual awards). It’s more important see the two weekend sweeps. They’ve really helped us out in the (ECACH) standings and given the team confidence in the locker room and I’m happy to have been part of that.”
Polacek, the reigning ECAC Hockey scoring champ, is lead
ing the league again with 39 points to date (16-23-39).

Over the past 12 games, Polacek has 23 points on nine goals and 14 assists, including four assists in the Engineers’ 6-2 triumph at Brown which ignited them on a 10-2-0 skein.
The Edina, Minn., native was asked if he can keep up the torrid pace.
“I’m just going to keep playing the way I have been,”
said Polacek, who has seven game- winning goals this season. “Keep playing my game
every night, trying to be consistent and playing hard and I think good things, and numbers will just come from that hard work.”
Polacek leads the country in game-winning goals and is fifth nationally in points per game (1.50).York’s saves percentage for the weekend was 97.4 percent.
The junior from Wetaskiwin, Alb., has all 10 of RPI’s wins during the current streak and he’s 16-6-3 overall with a 1.86 goal against average and a 93.2 saves percentage. He has started all but one of the Engineers’
26 games. As usual, he shares any accolades he receives.
“It’s nice,” York said of his repeat. “It shows how good our D-corps (defensemen),” has been.“And Chase is playing like
chase, so it’s great.”
The Engineers were shorthanded for much of the second period of both the Brown and Yale games and York was called upon to make some outstanding saves.
"My job, when we have the D-zone breakdown, is to come up big and stop the puck,” York said.
Rensselaer head coach Seth Appert said the back-to-back awards to both his stars “were deserved. “They both were very good. Chase can be even better.
“He played OK last week and he
produced (points) but he can be
better.”

Long-range recruit

2011-01-28T16:14:00.008-05:00

Seth Appert is planning ahead.
He and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have received a verbal commitment from left-handed centerman Drew Melanson for the 2013-14 season.
Not much is known about Melanson, except that he's young, small and speedy. He just turned 16 and only hits the 140 mark on a scale when he's wearing all his hockey equipment.
He has five points (2-3-5) in five games for the North Jersey Avalanche.
He'll get bigger and stronger and be a freshman when current RPI centers Brock Higgs and Johnny Rogic are seniors.
Don't know if JFK is playing tonight; let you know in about 30 minutes.
Don't forget, you can follow the game herein by going to www.troyrecord.com, link to this blog and to RPI Hockey vs. Brown.

RPI Hockey vs. Brown

2011-01-28T16:00:00.001-05:00

RPI Hockey vs. Brown

RPI Hockey Chat with Ed Weaver Jan. 27

2011-01-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

RPI.Chat27

Freakout! memories

2011-01-26T22:38:00.002-05:00

Folks, send us your most memorable RPI Big Red Freakout! Night memories to this site at www.troyrecord.com.
Don't forget our RPI fans chat tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Not so fast, JFK

2011-01-26T13:07:00.002-05:00

TROY -- John Kennedy said during today's practice that there's a "99 percent" chance he'll play on Friday night against Brown.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach Seth Appert, meanwhile, said it's more like "50-50" Kennedy will play.
Appert also explained that Kennedy's injury is a severe foot bruise and is not ankle-related.
Kennedy, who missed the Engineers most recent game, a 5-1 victory over Dartmouth on Saturday, said Tuesday he thought there was a "95" percent chance he'd play Friday.
"Make that 99 percent," Kennedy said today.
Rensselaer's captain also skated briefly after practice on today, moving that timeline up from Thursday.
"John would play if he was (physically) 30 percent," Appert would save. "But that other one percent (from his stated 99), he has no control over."
"If this were the playoffs, he'd play," Appert said of Kennedy. "But I want to be careful. I don't want to play him -- knowing that we still have one month left in the regular season, then the playoffs -- if it means having (him) 100 percent for the rest of the season and the playoffs."

Kennedy hopes to play Friday.

2011-01-25T18:54:00.006-05:00

Rensselaer senior defenseman and team captain John Kennedy is quite hopeful that he'll be able to play in this weekend's important games against Brown and Yale despite a sore ankle. The Engineers were able to beat Dartmouth without Kennedy on Saturday and have won five other games.
Putting a number on his chances, he said, "95 (percent)," even though he hasn't skated since he banged the ankle late in Friday night's victory over Harvard.

"Shooting for Thursday (to skate)," Kennedy said prior to Tuesday's practice. "Conditioning really isn't a problem this time of year. We're taking care of it and it's getting better. As long as the swelling's gone down ... there was no real damage."

The Engineers have won six of seven games without Kennedy this season, including a 4-1 victory at Brown. Kennedy was humored a bit by that stat earlier when he missed six games with a wrist injury but he hates missing games.
And having to win without their captain isn't something the Engineers want t continue with.
Kennedy and the other RPI seniors want to end their three-game, Freakout! Night losing streak -- their last chance for a Freakout! victory -- against Yale, the nation's No. 1 team.
Appert not worried about big heads: Their weekend sweep -- especially the 5-1 trouncing of Dartmouth -- shot the Engineers back into the No. 10 slot in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll.
The last time they Engineers crashed the Top 10 -- you all remember -- they played one of their weakest games of the season, falling to Clarkson, 3-2 in overtime. Despite the tight score, the Engineers were thoroughly outplayed. The loss dropped them to No. 14 in the poll.
When RPI hit the 10 spot again on Monday, head coach Seth Appert didn't mention the Top 10, didn't mention the Clarkson game.
"No, did not," he said. "Not worried about it. "We have a mature team and we've shown all year that we respond to adversity and that we respond to learning lessons ... and not having to apply the same lessons over and over and over and over and over. The teams or individuals who have to learn the same lessons (again and again) end up being losing teams or non-successful (players). And I think that's been a strength of ours this year, that we've learned a lesson, we've applied it and we've moved forward. I don't worry about that at all.
"I think we're going to have a very good week of practice," Appert said. "I don't guarantee success on Friday night, because we don't look at it in those terms but I do feel very strongly that we're going to come out and play the game the right way, play a physical, hard brand of hockey which has given us success and be prepared for a physically tough game that's going to be thrown at us by a tough Brown team.
Honors for Polacek, York: Chase Polacek was named Player of the Week by ECAC Hockey on Monday, Allen York was tabbed as Goaltender of the Week.
Polacek scored two goals in RPI's 3-2 victory over Harvard and with his 14th goal, and an assist in the 5-1 triumph over Dartmouth.
He's the top scorer in ECACH with 34 points (14-20-34).
York gave away the puck behind the net for an open-net goal against Harvard and the Crimson's other goal came on an extended 5-on-3 power play.
He allowed just one goal against Dartmouth and combined for 54 saves in the two games.

Follow the Engineers

2011-01-22T15:35:00.004-05:00

Hey, folks, you can follow all the exciting action of today's important Dartmouth-RPI game at coveritlive.com, link, RPI vs. Dartmouth.
Here are RPI's forward lines for today's game (left-to-right):
Lee-Polacek-Helfrich
Cullen-Higgs-Rabbani
AAG-O'Grady-Brutlag
Burgdoerfer-Rogic-Malchuk
Defensive pairings are:
Bergin-Foss
Koudys-Dolan
Leboeuf-Bailen
John Kennedy is out with sore ankle

RPI vs. Dartmouth

2011-01-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

RPI vs. Darthmouth

RPI vs. Harvard21

2011-01-21T19:53:00.000-05:00

RPI vs. Harvard21

RPI.Fans.Chat20

2011-01-20T14:23:00.004-05:00

RPI.Fans.Chat20

Kasdorf commits

2011-01-20T14:07:00.002-05:00

TROY -- Things had been getting a little dicey for RPI coach Seth Appert in his plans to secure a goaltender to take over when Allen York leaves. Turns out, he's gotten the guy he's been seeking for some time -- Winnipeg's Jason Kasdord, The Record has learned.
The 18-year old (he'll be 19 in mid-May) will enter RPI for the 2012-13 season.
Like York, he's tall and lanky -- 6-3 1/2, 178 pounds and is talented.
He was recently a rating (C--but bound to improve) by the National Hockey League's Central Scouting.
More later, and don't forget we'll have an RPI fans chat herein tonight at 6.

All due back -- but no C.J.

2011-01-18T20:34:00.005-05:00

TROY – The bad news is, yes, C.J. Lee’s major penalty early in overtime at Colgate on Saturday night did include a game disqualification penalty, so the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute sophomore forward will miss Friday night’s game against Harvard.
A rumor had been circulated that the penalty was misreported and should have been a game misconduct, which meant Lee would not be ineligible for the Harvard game.
The good news is, RPI head coach Seth Appert says he expects “all the injured players to play on Friday night.”
That would mean second-line center Brock Higgs, who missed five games after a skate blade sliced open his neck on Dec. 30 at Alabama-Huntsville, would be back, and senior winger Bryan Brutlag would return after missing just one game due to the concussion he suffered on Friday night at Cornell.
“I expect all of them to play,” Appert said Tuesday afternoon.
Back to Lee.
The “rumor” that Lee’s 10-minute penalty was not a DQ didn’t seem to have much foundation since this writer knew Appert spoke at length with referee Chip McDonald, who made the call, but it needed to be checked out anyway.
“No truth to it,” Rensselaer assistant Athletic Director and Sports Information Director Kevin Beattie said. (Lee’s) not eligible.”
Beattie said he had not heard of the rumor, Appert had.
“I don’t know how these things get started,” Appert said. “Blogs, (internet) chats. “But I talked to McDonald about (the call). It was definitely a DQ (call).”
Appert had expressed after Chase Polacek’s penalty-shot goal with 1:35 remaining in overtime gave RPI a 2-1 victory that he was “disappointed” with the disqualification call.
Back to the good news.
Hard-nosed sophomore winger Marty O’Grady, who played Saturday night at way below 100 percent after missing the game at Cornell due to a chest injury, will play Friday against Harvard, as will senior Scott Halpern, who’s missed nine games with an ankle injury.
All of the injured players skated hard in Tuesday’s practice, but without contact for Higgs and Brutlag.
“That’s just precautionary,” Appert said. “They should all be ready to go on Friday night and I expect them all to play. And with C.J. out, we need them.”
Nice view: Scott Halpern was among several injured RPI players sitting behind the east goal and Colgate U.'s Starr Rink on Saturday night.
So, the senior winger had a good look at Chase Polacek's game-winning, penalty-shot goal in overtime that gave the Engineers a 2-1 victory,
"It was awesome," Halpern said. "We knew Chase would score, he's a great goal-scorer. He put it right over his (goaltender Eric Mihalik's right)pad. Fun to watch and a big win."
Victories needed: Obviously, the victory at Colgate was huge. The Engineers still have high hopes of getting one of the top four seeds for the ECAC Hockey Tournament, winning a best-of-three series from a lower-seeded team and going to Atlantic City for the tournament's semifinals and championship.
In that regard, their 5-5-0 league record is much better than 4-6-0, or even 4-5-1.
Eight of the final 12 regular-season games are at home.
This weekend's games are crucial. Harvard is struggling, winning just once since its 1-0 victory over RPI. The Crimson have lost eight straight ECACH games and are 1-11-0 in their past 12 games overall.
The Engineers nearly lost to a reeling Colgate team (winless in league play) on the road. They need to bury the Crimson at home.
Saturday's game is a must if the Engineers are to finish ahead of Dartmouth, which is 6-3-1 in league play.
Assuming Yale and Union finish 1-2 in the ECACH for a second straight season -- a fairly safe assumption at this point -- if the Engineers lose to Dartmouth, they would virtually be playing for the fourth and final preliminary-round bye, having to beat out Princeton (7-4-1), Clarkson (5-3-1) and Cornell (5-5-0) for that spot.
Let's assume the Engineers come up big with a sweep this weekend, beat Brown but lose to Yale next week. That would make them 8-6-0. Among the eight remaining games after that, if they could (in no specific order) complete the sweep of Colgate, beat Cornell, get three points in two games against Quinnipiac, split with Princeton and get at least two points from the north country trip -- let's say a split, with the win coming at Clarkson -- they'd be 13-8-1.
Let's assume the split with Union, too, and lose again to Yale. That would mean they Tigers would have to get at least nine points from their other five games to beat out RPI.
That would be a major chore for Princeton.
We've made many assumptions into the 'W' column for RPI. Are they good enough to make those assumptions realities?
We'll see, starting Friday night.
Fans chat: At 6 p.m. Thursday, we'll have a RPI fans chat herein. Go to troyrecord.com.

RPI-Colgate

2011-01-15T19:45:00.001-05:00

Hi fokls. You can follow highlights of tonight's RPI-Colgate game with me on Twitter. Engineers lead 1-0 after one period.

Fans Chat today at 5

2011-01-14T15:58:00.001-05:00

Folks, due to major problems with our printing press, a full game story on RPI's game at Cornell tonight will appear on the internet only at troyrecord.com, not in print.
We will have a RPI fans chat herein today at 5 p.m., however.

RPI Fans Chat Jan14

2011-01-14T15:56:00.001-05:00

RPI.Fans.Chat14

Fan Chat at 8 p.m.

2011-01-13T19:09:00.002-05:00

Quick reminder, RPI fans; we'll have the fans chat herein, postponed from 6:30, at 8 p.m.

O'Grady questionable; York OK

2011-01-12T13:19:00.000-05:00

Add Marty O'Grady to Rensselaer's injury list.
The sophomore right winger (3 goals-5 assists-8 points) may be sidelined with a chest injury when the Engineers take on Cornell and Colgate on the road this weekend.
Previously (and still) sidelined are freshman center Brock Higgs (3-7-10) and senior winger Scott Halpern.
Late in Saturday's 5-3 victory over St. Lawrence, O'Grady took a hard hit -- while giving one -- and strained some chest muscles and RPI coach Seth Appert lists him as "questionable" for the weekend games.
"I'm not worried about it," Appert said of the possible loss of O'Grady. "We've had Marty's out before and we played well and we've had some other guys out and played well.
"That the good thing about our team," Appert said. "We have good depth and we have guys who can step in and provide secondary roles for us. Marty's not easy to replace but I'm not worried about it."
York feeling good: Amidst much speculation among RPI fans, junior goaltender Allen York admits he's been less than 100 percent physically in recent weeks but says he "feels fine now."
Though York says "I'm not going to say" where the injury is located, it's believed to be in the chest/ribs area and his mobility in certain positions has appeared to been affected.
"I've had some nagging injuries the past few weeks but this week (in practice) I've felt healthier than I have in a long time. We've gone back work on some things with habits and goaltending techniques. I'm feeling really good this week.
"It was bugging me a little bit," York said of the injury, "but it pretty much 100 percent now, so no worries going into this weekend."
More later: More on the Engineers later and rememeber, we'll have an RPI fans chat room herein at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

OT pending

2011-01-07T21:09:00.001-05:00

Regulation play ends tied, 2-2.

score tied 1-1 after 2 Per.

2011-01-07T20:21:00.000-05:00

Second period ends...tied 1-1...RPI will staft 3rd Per. on power play.

Big save

2011-01-07T20:12:00.001-05:00

5:40: Clarkson goalie Karpovich makes big save on Bryan Brutlag after giveaway. RPI going on power play at 14:45 (5:15 remaining).

RPI ties it

2011-01-07T20:07:00.000-05:00

10:26: Nick Bailen scores from top of the slot on 4-on-4 to tie game, 1-1.

Period 2

2011-01-07T19:51:00.001-05:00

RPI Trails

2011-01-07T19:33:00.000-05:00

Clarkson leads RPI 1-0 after one period. Engineers, despite being shorthanded for over five minutes, outshot the Knights, 11-8.

RPI Highlights

2011-01-07T19:18:00.000-05:00

Hey, RPI fans. Technical difficulties with Cover-It-Live tonight. We'll bring you RPI vs. Clarkson highlights herein.
Engineers have killed two penalties and are 0-of-1 on the power play. Game is scoreless with 8 min remaining in first period.

Clarkson vs. RPI Hockey

2011-01-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

Clarkson at RPI Hockey

RPI Chat Room, 6:30 p.m. Thursday

2011-01-05T20:13:00.001-05:00

RPI Hockey Chat Room

'We won't be there long; why should we listen now?'

2011-01-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer hockey coach Seth Appert was asked Wednesday if he worries that the Engineers being ranked No. 10 in a national poll, coupled with returning home for the first time in four weeks, along with playing arch-rival Clarkson on Friday night, along with the unveiling of a new video scoreboard, may change the team's attitude.
"It better not," he answered sharply. "If it does, we won't be there long."
Appert said earlier, when the new poll was released, that he continues to believe the Engineers are "mature enough to handle" all the fanfare and distractions.
He also spoke of the pollsters, somewhat directly.
"It's amazing that ... when people tell you you're no good," he said, "you don't want to listen to them. But when they tell you that you're great, you're willing to let yourself to be flattered with the adoration of your fans or the media or whatever else it is.
"The same people who rated us (No. 1o) now are the same people who said we can't win without (Brandon) Pirri and (Jerry) D'Amigo, (the stars who turned pro after one year at RPI) four months ago. We didn't listen to them then, so we shouldn't listen to them now."
"Yeah, I'm worried": While he has faith in the Engineers' maturity, Appert does admit he worries a bit.
"I worry that all this attention and the ranking and all that (may) make us a little soft and allow us to feel too good about ourselves."
Not looking ahead: Appert takes focusing on now to a higher level.
When asked if he's happy with where the team is as he and the players prepare for the final 16 ECAC Hockey games, he said, "I'm just thinking about (practice) Thursday afternoon.
"We had a very good practice today; we were just OK (Tuesday)," he said. "We were a very good hockey team today. But our approach all year has been that we want to be great today (each day) in practice and our focus has been on (that)."
Union gets benefit of Clarkson's schedule, not RPI: Clarkson will come to Houston Field House on Friday night after having played Minnesota-Duluth (at Clarkson) on both Monday and Tuesday nights.
Appert doesn't think the Engineers will gain any advantage over the Golden Knights' heavy schedule.
"I think Union will benefit from that (on Saturday night), I don't think we will," Appert said. "They're (the Knights)coming off a long (20-day) break. Two games aren't going to tire them out. They had two very good games (two losses, 4-1, 4-2) against a very good team in Duluth and I think Union will get Union will get a benefit when they (Knights) play their fourth game in six days. I don't think we will."
Neckguards -- should they be mandatory?: That question was put to Appert on Wednesday.
"We have them," he said. "We have the undershirts that have the neckguards in them and we have the neckguards, as well. Dana (equipment manager Dana McGuane) makes that option available to any guy on the team who wants to wear it, so that option is available to our guys.
"Should they be mandatory," Appert repeated. "I don't know ... I'd probably be in favor of the option."
Kearns thrilled: Gary Kearns, a former RPI player and coach will be named to Rensselaer's Ring of Honor on Feb. 12 during the Engineers' day game against Cornell.
"It's quite an honor when you think of the people who've already been inducted," said Kearns, who joins his RPI coach, Ned Harkness and players Frank Chiarelli, RPI's all-time leading scorer, Adam Oates, one of the NHL's all-time leaders in assists, Joe Juneau and Bob Brinkworth the in the Ring of Honor, which is displayed in Houston Field House.
"It was quite a surprising phone call (from RPI Athletic Director Jim Knowlton)," Kearns said. "You get a call like that and you wonder what you did to deserve it. It's such a wonderful thing."
In addition to being an All-American forward for the Engineers, scoring 144 points (61-83-144) in just two seasons, Kearns took over the as RPI coach on just a couple months notice in 1964 after Rube Bjorkman left suddenly after just one year.
Kearns is credited with saving the Division I status of RPI's hockey program, though he gives the acclaim to the players in his first class, the Class of 1969.
A reminder; any RPI backers who'd like to share their memories of Kearns, as both a player and coach, please do so within this blogspace at www.troyrecord.com.
New scoreboard in use -- no video: Rensselaer's new scoreboard will be ready for this weekend's games but the video aspects won't be functional for a couple more weeks at least, hopefully for the Jan. 21 game against Harvard.

High ranking for Engineers

2011-01-04T00:15:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will enter play in the 2011 portion of its hockey schedule as a Top 10 team. The Engineers, winners of four straight games and seven of their past eight, moved up four spots from last week and hold down the No. 10 slot with 496 points in the balloting of national coaches and media done on a 20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-etc. basis.
It's the first time an RPI team has cracked the Top 10 since the 1999-2000 season.
The Engineers, 11-4-3 overall, lead the nation in scoring defense, permitting just 36 goals, exactly 2.00 per contest.
Rensselaer, 3-3-0 in ECAC Hockey games, returns to league action this weekend, hosting rival Clarkson (4-2-1, 10-6-2) on Friday night and St. Lawrence (3-4-0, 6-8-3) on Saturday night.

Short first period for Jerry

2010-12-19T16:48:00.000-05:00

Jerry D'Amigo had three short shifts for the USA National Junior team in the first period against RPI. No hit delivered, none taken, though eh and Patrick Cullen did exchange shoves. Follow the game herein on Twitter.

Friendly contact ahead

2010-12-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Jerry D'Amigo, as you all know, will return to Houston Field House this weekend with the USA National Junior team for a 4 p.m. exhibition game against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at 4 p.m. Sunday.
During his one season as an Engineer, the Binghamton native was one of the more popular players -- as well as one of the more productive ones.
I asked RPI head coach Seth Appert -- and I prefaced it by saying, "dumb question, but did you issue a no-check edict on Jerry?"
"No, why would I do that," Appert said, to which I replied, 'am I the only one who asked you that?'''
"No, you're not," he replied.
He offered up no others who asked that question and I sought none.
"Our guys love and respect Jerry, and Brandon (Pirri, who also turned pro after one outstanding season at Rensselaer)," Appert said. "But they'll treat Jerry as they would any other opponent. They won't just lay off him because he's a former teammate."
"How about a 'do not run Jerry into the boards" proclamation I asked, still joking.
"Why would we not hit him," Appert said. "Hockey's not a nice game but of course we'll hit him. Why not? There are no friends on the ice."
Indeed. Should be interesting, though, and maybe Jerry will feel a bit awkward; not to suggest for an instant that he won't play hard -- and well.
Time change: I'm sure that most of you who are planning to attend the Engineers' two non-league games at Alabama-Huntsville Dec. 30-31 realize that the Friday game, New Year's Eve, has been changed to from a night game to a 3:30 (central time, 4:30 eastern) start.
It makes for quite a quadrupleheader for RPI fans who'll make the trip.
First, at 11 a.m. Huntsville time, basketball rivals No. 16 Kentucky and No. 21 Louisville square off on TV, followed by the Sun Bowl between Notre Dame at Miami at 1 (CST).
Then the Engineers square off with the Chargers of UAH in Game 2 at 3:3o.
At 6:30, the Chick-fil-A Bowl between No. 19 South Carolina and No. 23 Florida State.
That leaves plenty of time for a festive New Year's Eve celebration at the team's hotel, the downtown Huntsville Holiday Inn, with the Engineers players and coaches.
Sounds like a good time.

RPI seniors chose exhibition game

2010-12-15T23:55:00.000-05:00

TROY—Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hockey coach Seth Appert gave his captains and other seniors a choice last summer.
Enjoy over two weeks off between games against Boston University and Alabama-Huntsville, or play an exhibition game against the USA National Junior team on Dec. 19.
“I gave the guys the choice and our seniors chose to play this game,” Appert said from an undisclosed (recruiting) site Wednesday night.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to play them (for a second time in three seasons),” Appert said of the USA National team. “But I didn’t want to force it on them. I thought it would be a great experience, they agreed and they’re excited to play the game.”
The game will be played at 4 p.m. Sunday as former Rensselaer star left winger Jerry D’Amigo returns to Houston Field House.
D’Amigo helped the USA Team win the gold medal at the World Junior Championships at Calgary last year and was invited to play again. This year’s tournament is in Buffalo, about three and one-half hours from D’Amigo’s Binghamton home.
The other option for the Engineers was to have 18 days off between the BU game – an impressive 4-1 victory for RPI – and the first of two games at Huntsville on Dec. 30.
“It would be tough to keep the attention in practice,” Appert said. “The guys would feel like, ‘what are we practicing for.’
“It would have been in the approach of the guys,” he said. “It could have been beneficial to us (to simply practice for three weeks) if the young men had bought into it. But a real game in between is usually better, even though it’s an exhibition game.
“And it’s a pretty cool exhibition game,” Appert continued. “This is one of the best teams in the world, if not the best, at that age group.”
Yale head coach Keith Allain will coach the USA team.
The USA team downed the Engineers 5-4 on Oct. 12, 2008 and Appert says the current team is “much better.
“Well, their two years older and stronger,” he said. “And they’ve weeded out the guys who didn’t continue to develop into elite players and they brought in better players to replace them. It’s a heckuva hockey team. Three-fourths of them will be National Hockey League players and many of them will be stars.”
Though Sunday’s clash is an exhibition game, Appert said it will be “a treat for our fans.”

Polacek named INCH's top player

2010-12-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Hey folks. Had to tend to some family matters over the past few days but I wanted to share some post-game comments from the Engineers' big 4-1 victory over Boston University on Saturday.
First, though, senior center Chase Polacek has been named Inside College Hockey's Player of the Week.
And junior Allen York was named Goaltender of the Week by ECAC Hockey.
Polacek scored one goal and assisted on two others in the big victory over then-7th-ranked BU.
Polacek, the reigning ECACH scoring champion, has seven points over RPI's past two games.
He leads the Engineers in scoring with 23 points (8-15-23) and assists and has at least one point in 13 of RPI's 16 games. He also has seven multi-point games.
York made several brilliant saves among his 28 in the victory over BU. The only shot that got by him came after a turnover 15 feet in front of him. He lowered his goals against average to 1.88 and his saves percentage to 93.0.
The victory over BU moved the Engineers to the No. 13 spot in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll.
Kennedy enjoying victories, but ...: ... he'd much rather be playing, of course.
This writer joked that the Engineers don't need him, winning five of the six games he's missed with a hand injury.
"Apparently not," he said. "We're rolling right now and we just want to keep going this way.
"It was awesome," Kennedy said of the nationally-televised triumph. "Seeing the guys playing for one another, playing for the crest on their chest. It was a big win for the team but also for the program and what we're trying to do."
Solid effort but not "special": Head coach Seth Appert didn't want to downplay the victory over Boston U. but he didn't want it to be exaggerated, either. He spoke of the Engineers' effort.
"Our effort was pretty good but I don't think it was special but that's a credit to BU," he said.
"I told our guys, 'when you play a really good team -- Yale, Union, BU -- no matter how good you play, no matter how hard you play, you can't control the game for 60 minutes. There are ebbs and flows and what you need to do is survive the valleys in your game, and the push-backs from your opponent. I thought at times tonight we were a little hyper when (BU) pushed back but we continued to play hard. I thought we turned the puck too much but we continued to play hard and continued to have good goaltending from Allen."
Blanked in five-on-five play: The Engineers produced three power-play goals and a shorthanded goal and thus, were blanked in 5-on-5 play. While Appert had proclaimed that the Engineers' special teams needed to improve. Together, the power play and penalty killing were as solid as they've been in any game this season.
"We believe in our team 5-on-5," Appert said. "We got outscored 1-0 (during) 5-on-5 play but there haven't been many games we've been outscored 5-on-5 this season (four). I'll stake our team against any team in the country 5-on-5.
"What was great to see was our special teams come through like that."

Big victory

2010-12-11T18:03:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Seth Appert and his Rensselaer Engineers pulled off a huge non-conference victory on Saturday, visibly outplaying No. 7 Boston University in a 4-1 triumph, delighting a Houston Field House crowd of 3,309.
Joel Malchuk started the RPI attack with a laser-like slapshot, short-handed goal at 11:58 of the first period.
Tyler Helfrich, Chase Polacek and Bryan Brutlag added power-play goals as the Engineers' special teams were superior.
Rensselaer killed all five of BU's power plays.
Polacek assisted on the final goal and Nick Bailen had a pair of assists as the 15th-ranked Engineers improved to 9-4-3 overall.
More later.

Lee looks good to play Saturday; Others not so much

2010-12-08T15:19:00.000-05:00

It's three days until game time against Boston U but here's RPI's injury update:
So. W C.J. Lee, head, probable;
Sr. C Joel Malchuk, head, questionable;
So. RW Marty O'Grady, head, out;
Sr. D John Kennedy, hand, out.
Seth Appert did say that if this were playoff action on Saturday, not just a non-conference game, JFK would likley play.

Kennedy, 3 forwards out

2010-12-01T16:06:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Seth Appert has some holes to fill as he and his RPI Engineers resume ECAC Hockey play this weekend to Yale -- ranked No. 2 (tied with Boston U.) nationally, and to Brown, one of the league's surprise teams this season.
Captain John Kennedy will again be out, as the senior defenseman's hand injury will keep him sidelined for a fourth and fifth consecutive game.
Sophomore winger C.J. Lee, carried from the Houston Field House ice on a stretcher, will be just one of three forwards out of the lineup.
Steady senior center Joel Malchuk was also hurt in the UConn game and fiery sophomore right winger Marty O'Grady was injured in practice on Tuesday. They also have mild concussions.
"None of (the concussions) is severe," Appert said, adding that it's possible one or all of the three trio could play next Saturday against Boston U.
"But they won't be playing this weekend," he said.
With the way Brown has begun its season (2-1-1 in ECAC, 3-2-2 overall, including road ties with New Hampshire and BU after a victory at Cornell), this could be RPI's toughest weekend of the season.
Yale is the most talented team in the leauge and Brown, surprisingly, is just as physical as it was late last season and the Bears are scoring more goals and getting solid goaltending.
"We have to have guys who aren't normally in the lineup step up," Appert said.
That's an opportunity for freshmen Matt Tinordi and Greg Burgdoerfer.
The physical play of Justin Smith could earn him a spot in the Brown game.
Appert even said, that since there's only three healthy centers on the team and two are freshmen, little-used Kevin Beauregard could play.
Beauregard, in just his second career game last year, won a key faceoff to earn an assist on a key goal by Bryan Brutlag in last season's 5-3 victory at Boston U.
"We can win, if we play well," Appert said, "noting the Engineers beat BU and Michigan last year with Jerry D'Amigo and Mike Bergin out.
Bergin is a key player who could step up. The junior defenseman needs to add a little more offense to his fine all-around game.
Appert will who will play on Chase Polacek's top forward line and whether or not third-leading scorer Tyler Helfrich will be one of the two wingers.
Before Lee was injured last week, Appert had broken the (left-right) Lee-Polacek-Helfrich line because they "hadn't had an equal-strength goal in three games," Appert noted.
Patrick Cullen, a left winger, took over for Helfrich at right wing on Polacek's line against UConn on Friday, with Helfrich playing with center Brock Higgs and O'Grady.
On Saturday night, Appert broke up the speedy line of (l-r) Alex Angers-Goulet, Johnny Rogic and Scott Halpern.
That line could be back together and Polacek could center for Cullen and Bryan Brutlag, as he did on Saturday night.
He was asked what the fourth line would look like. Either Beauregard or freshman Matt Tinordi figures to center the unit, with a combination of Smith, Burgdoerfer and Tinordi at the wings.
Though Kennedy's physical presence and poised demeanor are always missed, the Engineers have proven they can win without him, winning all three games he's missed.
And none of the injured players is among RPI's top four scorers.
Lee (3 goals-4 assists-7 points) is tied for fifth in goals and he and O'Grady (2-5-7) are tied for fifth in points.
Appert isn't worried. He says the Engineers can win if they're "physical and play the right way."
He expects his seniors to lead the way.
"We still have six seniors who are healthy to play and there's a good chance that (senior) Kevin Beauregard will play this weekend," Appert said. "I've said all along we're going to win with our seniors and I believe we will."

Stubborn Seth

2010-12-01T02:14:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Seth Appert was stubborn. That's not a trait of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's hockey coach. But Appert said he should have moved Bryan Brutlag from defense to forward after his freshman season, not last year, halfway through Brutlag's junior season.
"I was stubborn," Appert said. "I should have made that move sooner. He actually brought it up to me before that.
"But we brought Bryan in here to run our power play and play strong defense for us," Appert said. "So we waited. I guess the things that make him special probably work better at forward and it's his will to compete is as strong as anybody I've ever coached and he just has this incredible ticker to win puck battles and pursue pucks. That probably suits him best as an energy forward.
"Last year," Appert said, "I thought that one of our weaknesses was that I didn't think our forwards played hard. "We knew that moving Bryan up, he might struggle with some things but we knew he would play hard and he didn't struggle with anything."
"But I was too stubborn," he added. "We should have done it sooner."
Brutlag said, "I guess the idea first got put in the air after my sophomore year. I bring I some things (to forward) that some other guys can't."

"Holiday Tournament champs": The Engineers have been champions of their own Holiday Tournament for a few days now.
It's still a nice title, one none of the current players had ever worn before, and it still feels good.
"Yes, definitely," said senior winger Scott Halpern. "It's the first time (RPI) has won it in a long time and it's a great feeling. Any time you win a championship, doesn't matter what it is, guys get excited."
"Yeah, it still feels good," said senior winger Tyler Helfrich. "It's a new week, back to work. We've got Yale Friday night. It's going to be a big challenge and we're excited."
The championship "gives us some confidence in the knowledge that we can win championships," said senior defenseman Jeff Foss.
Revenge has to be on the mind of Engineers when Brown University is mentioned. The Bears beat the Engineers in overtime in Providence last season on some officiating calls that were, questionable.
Then the 11th-place Bears shocked sixth-place RPI in the preliminary round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs.
None of the players would admit to the revenge factor, however.
"Nah," Helfrich said. "I don't think it was number one on our list. But regardless, like I said, Yale's a very big game on Friday."
Linemate Chase Polacek was asked if he wished the Brown game were first on the weekend, for the revenge factor.
"No, we're playing the No. 2 team in the country (Yale is tied for No. 2 with Boston University) and I don't think you can get more excited for a game on a Friday than to play the No. 2 team in the country in their rink and have an opportunity to take down a very good team."
Yale, beaten 5-2 and 4-1 by the Engineers last season, will likely have revenge on its mind.
"I'm sure they will," Polacek said.
Hey, the Bulldogs probably blame the Engineers for the ouster from the playoffs in the quarterfinal round. Had RPI not been upset by Brown, the Bears couldn't have pulled off the incredible upset, beating regular-season champion Yale in straight games.
Appert was asked if resuming to league play -- with two very tough road games -- following the tournament title will be more beneficial than if the Engineers had, say, split the two games.
"Only if we practice well all week," he said. "Good or bad momentum will go only as far as you let it take you. Good momentum can propel you confidence-wise, and how you feel, an the energy in the (locker) room and on the practice (ice), as long as you continue to have good habits and prepare properly and do things the right way, which gives you the opportunity for success.
"Just like when you're struggling, good habits and hard work can help pull you out of it, as long as you allow yourself to be pulled out of it. Momentum is a funny thing and as quickly as you have it, you can give it away if you don't do things the right way."
Injury update: Rensselaer captain John F. Kennedy will again be sidelined with a hand injury this weekend at Yale and Brown, running his inactive skein to five games.
The Engineers, strangely, have won all three games without their most very valuable defenseman and leader but keeping the winning ways this weekend with JFK still sidelined, will be a extremely difficult task to be sure.
Both senior center Joel Malchuk and sophomore winger C.J. Lee, both suffering from mild concussions, are quite questionalbe.

C.J. OK, wants to play tonight

2010-11-27T14:01:00.000-05:00

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute right winger C.J. Lee was back at the Houston Field House rink late Saturday morning, out of the hospital and showing no sign of the head and neck injury he received on Friday night in a 6-5 victory over Connecticut.
"I just had a little headache this morning," Lee said. "I feel like I could play tonight but that's not going to happen. I have a little concussion."
Lee said sitting in the stands tonight and watching his teammates battle Bowling Green for the championship of the 60th Annual Rensselaer Holiday Tournament will be much more painful for him.
"Yeah, that will be tough," he said. "I want to play. I'll be wanting to jump over the boards and get in there. I'm just glad the boys came back and pulled it out last night.
Rensselaer twice trailed by two goals on Friday night, was behind 4-3 when Lee was injured -- the game was delayed 12 minutes while he was attended to -- and tied the game 38 seconds after play resumed.

Lee appears to be OK

2010-11-27T01:59:00.000-05:00

hSorry for the late entry, folks, but we're shorthanded at the paper.
Rensselaer sophomore winger C.J. Lee, who incurred a neck and head injury in the third period of Friday night's 6-5 victory over UConn, was alert (though groggy) and chatting with his parents and coach Seth Appert at Albany Med late Friday night.
Lee was placed on a stretcher and carried off the ice.
Shortly after speaking with the media post-game, Appert met Lee's parents at Albany Med.
"He's a little groggy but he's in great spirits," Appert said. "All the tests were negative. There appears to be no brain injury."
Appert was asked if Lee had to be convinced his teammates rallied for the victory.
"Well, the guys scored so quick that he probably heard (the goals) on the radio in the ambulance.
Lee will be kept in the hospital at least through Saturday.
The Engineers battle Bowling Green for the Rensselaer Holiday Tournament on Saturday night.

2010-11-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

TROY -- Upon returning to the pressbox, Appert told media members that Lee was "moving his extremities and gave me a thumbs up as he was carried off the ice.
He was taken to Albany Medical Center.
Just 38 seconds after tying the score, RPI took a 5-4 lead on Alex Angers' Goulet's second goal of the game.

Lee was moving; RPI takes lead

2010-11-26T21:13:00.001-05:00