RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Great looking group showed they still have it at our alumni game! pic.twitter.com/QpLuxmLrjq

— RPI Men's Hockey (@RPI_Hockey) February 1, 2020

[sezenack]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Last night is the best game I have ever seen us play (I'm only a junior though ). Hope they bring it again tonight in front of a packed crowd

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I thought this would have been a good game to give Savory the night off. Turn out we needed everyone one of his saves to secure the BRF win. Guess he's playing as long as he keep the hot (glove) hand!

Two takeaways...

1) Gornall (N Dakota) and Zieky (Providence) need to tell their teammates about next weekend's challenge: playing a NCHC team on the road in February. Western Michigan plays in the strongest, deepest conference in NCAA hockey. I'm sure Western knows about our recent solid streak. Time to lace 'em and tighten those helmets. But we've been playing well. Let's take it to them.

2) This has been a neat two weeks. In local games, the Mayor's Cup and the HFH sweep should motivate students to spend more time at HFH on Friday and Saturday nights. A BRF win in front of a big crowd might be just what the doctor ordered.

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Great weekend for RPI. They had great energy against Dartmouth (although it has to be said that Dartmouth was really, really poor last night--and tonight, which helps RPI) and followed it up with a solid performance tonight. Vermont's backup goalie prevented a more comfortable win. I think the Seniors wanted to win their first Freakout, so I am guessing that's why Smith put his best team out there, including Savory. I have to think Savory gets one night off next weekend.

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Thank you, Union! Since becoming a ranked team, Dartmouth is 0-3-1 in ECAC play. Union was 1-5-2 entering tonight's game. (Their win was an overtime effort vs. St. Lawrence.)

Thank you, St. Lawrence, for tying Yale! Bulldogs have the tie-breaker over us. Yale is 4-0 vs RPI and Union. Not so hot vs. everyone else.

I thank David N for the thought: Depending on how Friday's game goes, Savory may get Saturday night off.

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

The games against WMU are almost entirely meaningless, as I'm pretty sure that we can't get an at-large bid unless we win out, in which case we'd have the autobid. Obviously we should try to keep our streak of .500 or better weekends going, but I think they'd be a good opportunity to give Savory the night off, especially if he starts Friday and we lose (even if he plays well).

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JVQ...ature=youtu.be
postgame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu-Ho1xaSj0

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

The games against WMU are almost entirely meaningless, as I'm pretty sure that we can't get an at-large bid unless we win out, in which case we'd have the autobid. Obviously we should try to keep our streak of .500 or better weekends going, but I think they'd be a good opportunity to give Savory the night off, especially if he starts Friday and we lose (even if he plays well).

They are meaningful for Cornell and Clarkson, more than they are for us in that sense. Of course, even a split against a good western school should help our confidence.

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

They are meaningful for Cornell and Clarkson, more than they are for us in that sense. Of course, even a split against a good western school should help our confidence.

It's all about keeping it moving forward.

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Early odds against WMU have us as a significant underdog at 61% to 20% with a predicted score of 3-1 for the first night. We are a .500 team this late in the season for the first time in several years. We have 8 wins in the ECAC which is significant as we have not seemed to be able to accumulate much more than that for some time. We are certainly a more interesting team to watch this year than we have been. i doubt that the attendance at the HFH will change much unless we are a national power again and even at that, we may not sell the barn out. Whatever the reasons are, and they are multiple, the interest in coming out to see the team play live has just plummeted. Not sure if this is a common problem in college hockey in general but it was obvious again this past weekend. The announced attendance for the game with Dartmouth must have counted many people twice. The stands looked like about 1000 were there. The FreakOut used to be the hardest ticket in town and a yearly sell out but this year drew an announced crowd of 3800. The noise level did not seem to be even close to what we had in the past. All of this in spite of special events and giveaways. Guess we just have to get used to the new order of things.

[Go Puckman]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I was happy to see a big band last night. I don't think it has been this big for the BRF in many years. I would love to have a big band like this every home game. I also have to say that the BRF is not marketed well at all in the area. The giveaway was a little disappointing as well this year in my opinion.

[RPI fan 4 life]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

I was happy to see a big band last night. I don't think it has been this big for the BRF in many years. I would love to have a big band like this every home game. I also have to say that the BRF is not marketed well at all in the area. The giveaway was a little disappointing as well this year in my opinion.

Yes, yes, and yes. What you have to remember about “America’s Pep Band” is that since it was alumni weekend, I’m sure there was a significant number of former band members there. The really good news was that the amount of piped in music was lower this weekend giving the band more opportunities to play. Guess the amount of complaints got back to the staff at HFH. Yes, Freakout is not marketed well like it used to be. DrD had a lot of good points in his post on why attendance has dropped in recent years. It may take becoming a consistent Top 4 team to once again filling the Field House and with the outstanding coverage on RPItv will also keep people away, unfortunately.
Finally, totally agree on the giveaway item. Probably one of the worst items that has ever been given. Cheap, cheap, cheap...

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

They are meaningful for Cornell and Clarkson, more than they are for us in that sense. Of course, even a split against a good western school should help our confidence.

And Quinnipiac, which is now 14th in the Pairwise. Harvard, now 16th, can help itself by winning the Beanpot.

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: RPI Hockey 2019 - 2020 Part II: Moving on with 2020 Vision!

Yes, yes, and yes. What you have to remember about “America’s Pep Band” is that since it was alumni weekend, I’m sure there was a significant number of former band members there. The really good news was that the amount of piped in music was lower this weekend giving the band more opportunities to play. Guess the amount of complaints got back to the staff at HFH. Yes, Freakout is not marketed well like it used to be. DrD had a lot of good points in his post on why attendance has dropped in recent years. It may take becoming a consistent Top 4 team to once again filling the Field House and with the outstanding coverage on RPItv will also keep people away, unfortunately.
Finally, totally agree on the giveaway item. Probably one of the worst items that has ever been given. Cheap, cheap, cheap...

Not sure I buy the complaints about marketing from the perspective of ticket sales. I attempted to find extra Freakout! tickets on Wednesday and Thursday online, and there was very little supply, except in the western corners with the obstructed views. I think you had some no-shows, which is a separate issue. I thought the energy in the building was fine on Saturday, given that it was a 1-0 game.

The giveaways have been lousy for a while, except for the 40th anniversary touque. Surely, they could get something better, like a baseball cap. Even cheap t-shirts would be fine.

[rpi82]

And Quinnipiac, which is now 14th in the Pairwise. Harvard, now 16th, can help itself by winning the Beanpot.

Harvard has undoubtedly been working hard to get ready for its annual visit to the Beanpot consolation game (22 out of the last 25 years).