RPI 2026-27: Houston Field House, We Have Lift-off!

[Engineers]

Splitting a big ten team is excellent to start the season. Excited for the season to come

Very good start. Krawchuk is the real deal! We have our goalie for sure but I really wish we could have kept smith and evanchesen. We have more depth and skill compared to past seasons but I wish we had a little more depth at forward. I know coach lang said in your sit down that they are being very selective about who they are recruiting/ looking for some serious high end talent but it’s awfully quiet on the recruiting front? Have you heard any rumors on who we are looking at?

 

[Engineers]

100% agree. The best thing they could do to reverse this trend is to start winning and being competitive in the conference. The increased social media engagement is highly encouraging, and Marty, being well-liked, is a great ambassador. His enthusiasm and support for the program is hopefully infectious. After so many years of the program being treated as an after-thought by the administration, it's hardly surprising the students and fans followed suit. And that's not even getting into the active sabotage of the COVID era. I feel optimism and hope around the school and the team for the first time in a long time. I hope we can get some young'uns to feel the same.

It’s been a long time since we all have felt optimism and hope about the program. We have the right people in charge from top to bottom. After 15+ years of absolute neglect by the honorable Shirley Anne Jackson it’s going to take sometime to rebuild the program. I truly believe we are on the right path. You can see the investment into the program now. Coach lang is the real deal

 

[sezenack]

Very good start. Krawchuk is the real deal! We have our goalie for sure but I really wish we could have kept smith and evanchesen. We have more depth and skill compared to past seasons but I wish we had a little more depth at forward. I know coach lang said in your sit down that they are being very selective about who they are recruiting/ looking for some serious high end talent but it’s awfully quiet on the recruiting front? Have you heard any rumors on who we are looking at?

I know one name that we are in on and hoping to get it over the finish line, but I'm not able to post it. All I can say is that I can confirm we are pausing on some really good players to go for some high end NHL draft pick types

 

[Engineers]

I know one name that we are in on and hoping to get it over the finish line, but I'm not able to post it. All I can say is that I can confirm we are pausing on some really good players to go for some high end NHL draft pick types

Hopefully we can get some these players

 

[rpi82]

I was happy with a split, although I too got greedy on Saturday. Obviously Krawchuk was the key and, as I reminded several people that pointed to tOSU’s puck control dominance, the goaltender is part of the roster. We were hardly the first team that appeared behind among the 5 skaters but was carried by superior net play.

The boys have made great strides, but still have a ways to go to achieve Coach Lang’s preferred puck control style. He will be working them hard on those skills. With our pace of improvement, I expect there will come a game later this season when we will control the puck 60% of the time and we’ll all point at it Ted Lasso style and say “That’s the style we are meant to play.” It’s going to be a fun ride.

 

[DrDemento]

We have not been this close to a very competitive program in a long time and we can all feel it. Just to correct one small thing in the post by Engineers above - the neglect by SAJ (if you want to be kind enough with using that word) was not 15+ years but more like 20+ to 25 years. And it was not only aimed at the hockey program but so many aspects of the Institute that it is truly amazing what has been done by Marty and his gang to right the ship. There was a time when an RPI education was the keys to the kingdom and our hockey program was the Beast of the East. We may not be back there yet but at least I can begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!!!!

 

[rpi82]

I was happy with a split, although I too got greedy on Saturday. Obviously Krawchuk was the key and, as I reminded several people that pointed to tOSU’s puck control dominance, the goaltender is part of the roster. We were hardly the first team that appeared behind among the 5 skaters but was carried by superior net play.

The boys have made great strides, but still have a ways to go to achieve Coach Lang’s preferred puck control style. He will be working them hard on those skills. With our pace of improvement, I expect there will come a game later this season when we will control the puck 60% of the time and we’ll all point at it Ted Lasso style and say “That’s the style we are meant to play.” It’s going to be a fun ride.

I'm going to commit the sin of replying to my own posting. I wanted to comment further on this weekend's games. Although I commented above that we aren't ready yet to play Coach Lang's puck control game against a team as skilled as Ohio State (and I believe we will get there if we stay the course), that's not to undermine the quality and mental toughness they showed this weekend. Sure Krawchuk played like a stone wall, but the team played complementary hockey. Those that are soccer fans may recognize the style - play disciplined defense and look for opportunities to capitalize on quick counter attacks when the opponent over commits. It's not the most exciting style and it actually exacerbates the opponent's puck control and SOG advantages, but it can be effective. It's also not as easy to do properly as it sounds so I was impressed that the boys did a good job of it. There were occasional breakdowns, but for the most part a young team (and extremely young defense) were in the right spots. When OSU did exploit a crack in the D, well that's why we have a guy stacked with pads between the pipes and Krawchuk showed that he's ready to take a big step forward this year. Let's go red!

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

I don't know how good OSU is, so I am not going to get giddy over this weekends performance.
Someone has to tell them to shoot when they have an open shot and not try for the perfect shot.
I thought that the team defense was pretty good. Only giving up 3 goals for the weekend will work most weekends.
I hope that we learned something about taking a lead into the third period.
You just can't sit back for a full 20 minutes.
Even with all that, I am very happy with the start of the season.
We can only improve with more experience.

I don't know how good OSU is, so I am not going to get giddy over this weekends performance.
Someone has to tell them to shoot when they have an open shot and not try for the perfect shot.
I thought that the team defense was pretty good. Only giving up 3 goals for the weekend will work most weekends.
I hope that we learned something about taking a lead into the third period.
You just can't sit back for a full 20 minutes.
Even with all that, I am very happy with the start of the season.
We can only improve with more experience.

Lang mentioned the offense on his weekly appearance on Wyland's radio show. He took the blame for the PP and the need to get more pucks to the net. Overall I thought it was a great start to the season... building blocks is how we need to look at it. 2nd half of the season we'll see how things are progressing.

 

[DrDemento]

Lang mentioned the offense on his weekly appearance on Wyland's radio show. He took the blame for the PP and the need to get more pucks to the net. Overall I thought it was a great start to the season... building blocks is how we need to look at it. 2nd half of the season we'll see how things are progressing.

Biggest negative from the weekend was that 5 minute major power play late in the second game. We were given the opportunity to not only tie, but to win that game and we came up totally empty. i am 100% sure that will be a major point of correction for our coach and the staff. For this team to reach potential, they will have be one that makes the opposition pay for taking penalties (especially a butt end or a spear). Special team play has been a major weak point for this program for too many years to count but with the developing talent we have, more than ever will make the difference in wins and losses.
Best part of the opening weekend/ Both games we were given exciting hockey from our boys. Something that I cannot say the past couple years when we got destroyed in our OOC games before we started the league schedule.

 

[Engineers]

We have not been this close to a very competitive program in a long time and we can all feel it. Just to correct one small thing in the post by Engineers above - the neglect by SAJ (if you want to be kind enough with using that word) was not 15+ years but more like 20+ to 25 years. And it was not only aimed at the hockey program but so many aspects of the Institute that it is truly amazing what has been done by Marty and his gang to right the ship. There was a time when an RPI education was the keys to the kingdom and our hockey program was the Beast of the East. We may not be back there yet but at least I can begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!!!!

Doc you’re absolutely correct! I sometimes forget how long she was in charge. You are correct her wrath was not just aimed at the hockey program but many parts of the institute.

 

[rvd5star69]

love our start keep up the effort boys

 

[tanman]

Biggest negative from the weekend was that 5 minute major power play late in the second game. We were given the opportunity to not only tie, but to win that game and we came up totally empty. i am 100% sure that will be a major point of correction for our coach and the staff. For this team to reach potential, they will have be one that makes the opposition pay for taking penalties (especially a butt end or a spear). Special team play has been a major weak point for this program for too many years to count but with the developing talent we have, more than ever will make the difference in wins and losses.
Best part of the opening weekend/ Both games we were given exciting hockey from our boys. Something that I cannot say the past couple years when we got destroyed in our OOC games before we started the league schedule.

Yeah, the PP was hampered by over-passing, so I'm glad to hear that Lang acknowledged that and plans to address it. It might work for some teams with the right personnel but I don't think we're there quite yet!

 

[giwan]

Doc you’re absolutely correct! I sometimes forget how long she was in charge. You are correct her wrath was not just aimed at the hockey program but many parts of the institute.

Though it was clearly more the hockey program. Her only thoughts were RPI is an ivy league institution and should not pay for athletics