Colgate 2025-26

[Red Hockey]

RPI faced quite a bit of administrative headwinds in recent years. They sat out the 2020-21 season because of the Covid-19 pandemic, then in 2021-22 they were still playing home games in front of no fans while all other ECAC schools were allowing fans again. The school got a new president in 2022 and is committed to bringing their hockey teams back to relevance. They were smart to hire Eric Lang after AIC decided to drop D-1 hockey.

RPI started the season 0-7 but they are 3-2-1 in their last six games. They're rebuilding right now and in a few years, I expect them to be a very competitive team.

To be fair, Yale wasn't allowing fans that season either, but I'd say RPI is headed in a better direction given the coaching and AD situations are very different at each institution

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

When I went up to RPI on Saturday, I spent the entire first period with my friend there, a long-time season ticket holder.
He said many fellow season ticket holders and long-time RPI fans have just been beaten down the last 20+ years.
He and his wife used to make all the away games. No longer. I met them in my row at Colgate years ago.
He is not even sure that he is going to renew his tickets for next year. Part of that is RPI's decades-old record, part is just the aging demographic.
They have seen such a coaching revolving door that he is not even sold on their new head coach yet.
I know it is just one voice, but I really feel for them. Behind 'Gate and Clarkson, RPI is probably my third fave ECAC team.
I truly hope the rising tide lifts (and rights) their ship soon.
Lastly, renovation of their Houston Field House (like Clarkson, Saint Lawrence and Dartmouth) will be most welcome.

P.S. - When I went to Colgate at Saint Lawrence and Providence at Brown this season and sat with their home season ticket holders, I felt the same feeling... they are just tired of being ECAC cellar-dwellers. It is wearing on them as well.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

When I went up to RPI on Saturday, I spent the entire first period with my friend there, a long-time season ticket holder.
He said many fellow season ticket holders and long-time RPI fans have just been beaten down the last 20+ years.
He and his wife used to make all the away games. No longer. I met them in my row at Colgate years ago.
He is not even sure that he is going to renew his tickets for next year. Part of that is RPI's decades-old record, part is just the aging demographic.
They have seen such a coaching revolving door that he is not even sold on their new head coach yet.
I know it is just one voice, but I really feel for them. Behind 'Gate and Clarkson, RPI is probably my third fave ECAC team.
I truly hope the rising tide lifts (and rights) their ship soon.
Lastly, renovation of their Houston Field House (like Clarkson, Saint Lawrence and Dartmouth) will be most welcome.

IBT, I can completely confirm your friend's view that RPI fans have been beaten down to a bloody pulp...as I am one....ha ha. I won't bore you with rehashing of what is widely known.

The real, measurable change at RPI started in 2022 when they hired Marty Schmidt '81 as the new Prez. The guy is legit in both academia AND that he's a huge hockey fan. He and his wife are both RPI grads and their kids all played hockey in the Boston area growing up . His hiring of AD Bowers from BU was one of his early decisions.

I can tell you that the majority of RPI folks that I regularly interact with share the opinion that the program: a) made the correct coaching hire in Lang and b) that the changes Lang is bringing to the program are already bearing fruit. Not so much in the W-L - to be expected with 19 new players this fall - following his April hiring he was handicapped in the limited pool of available players at that late part of the recruiting season.

The team plays with the attitude, systems and coaching spearheaded by Lang. You can see it on the ice...they play a 200 foot game, compete for pucks and defend. The scoring across lines is missing, but we knew that going in. The proof of course, will be in the pudding and seeing Lang assemble a roster of players he has recruited (that list, so far looks promising. )

There is plenty of justified caution among fans when it comes to the HFH renovations, as they still need to raise the $$$. What WILL happen this spring is what they are calling "Phase I" , which is really only deferred maintenance in the replacement of the ice sheet and refrigeration mechanicals, which failed several years ago. (The HFH has been running on a temporary blanket ice system for several years.) Chalk another one up to the former Prez' incompetence. As for the other renovation phases, many folks while hopeful, are in the "we'll believe it when we see it" mode.

Thanks for letting me step into the Gate thread. As you know, I'm a Gate fan...unless they're playing RPI!

 

[TheGreenCoat]

I agree with Wicked Slappaahs...I think Lang was a very good hire and support from the higher-ups is crucial...his tenure at AIC was very successful with a support network that was marginal at best...he brought in decent US/Canadian talent, but also had success overseas...I wish Coach Harder and his assistants all the best, but IMO Lang was the better option...we'll see...

 

[rpi82]

I agree with Wicked Slappaahs...I think Lang was a very good hire and support from the higher-ups is crucial...his tenure at AIC was very successful with a support network that was marginal at best...he brought in decent US/Canadian talent, but also had success overseas...I wish Coach Harder and his assistants all the best, but IMO Lang was the better option...we'll see...

Was Lang even an option when Harder was hired? I know he was rumored to be a leading candidate a number of years back for several jobs but he either ended up not interviewing or withdrawing from the search. IIRC SLU was an example of the latter. He seemed to be remarkably loyal to his alma mater so I think most searches looked in other directions until AIC essentially cut the program out from under him. RPI got lucky that it was the next HC position available combined with apparently workable proximity to his family and wife's job.

 

[Engineers]

I agree with Wicked Slappaahs...I think Lang was a very good hire and support from the higher-ups is crucial...his tenure at AIC was very successful with a support network that was marginal at best...he brought in decent US/Canadian talent, but also had success overseas...I wish Coach Harder and his assistants all the best, but IMO Lang was the better option...we'll see...

lang is legit…I also think bringing in assistant coach Schneider was huge. Great recruiter with a long history working with lang. RPI recruits for next year are looking really promising. It’s a rebuild but lang is the right choice for the job.

 

[sshablak]

It's been a long time since the last two games of the regular season don't really make much difference in the standings for us. Normally we're fighting for at least fourth place and a first round bye. It's been a disappointing season, look good one weekend and terrible the next, no consistency. Take this weekend, sweep or lose both, or split, nothing would surprise me.
I do remember finishing #12 and upsetting #1 and #2 on the road.

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

Random question… I arrived at the Class of 1965 Arena early today, so I am sitting and relaxing outside the Sullivan Suite. I just noticed that the Silver Puck Award plaques show Gary Ross ‘77 as the last recipient... in 2022-23. Is that correct? Thanks.

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

Reid Dyck led his team onto the ice for Colgate tonight.
Shane Soderwall did the same for Clarkson.

Colgate penalty (tripping). Killed.

Colgate 9, Clarkson 6, SOG after one.
Colgate 0, Clarkson 0, score after one.

Less than a minute into the second, Clarkson scores.

And Colgate evens it up on a beautiful breakaway goal by Owen Neuharth. From Easton Wainwright.

Reid Dyck really misplayed the puck resulting in Clarkson’s goal. A rarity, but a costly one. 2-1.

And a minute later, Clarkson scores again.

Clarkson penalty (holding).
0:44 remaining in penalty and Colgate penalty (tripping). Clarkson penalty killed.

Colgate 18, Clarkson 17, SOG after two.
Clarkson 3, Colgate 1, score after two.

Colgate penalty killed. Even strength.

Colgate penalty (roughing).
Previous play is under review (time on clock).
Colgate penalty killed.

10:07 remaining. 3-1 score. 22-20 ‘Gate SOG.

6:02 remaining and Clarkson scored their fourth goal.

The whole game has been a hard, physical game, but now it is getting chippy.

Clarkson penalty (slashing). Dyck pulled for extra attacker. Killed.

2:57 remaining. 4-1. 26-22 ‘Gate SOG.

Colgate 27, Clarkson 23, final SOG.
Clarkson 4, Colgate 1, final score.

 

[TheGreenCoat]

Not unexpected when you have a team that has frankly, if anything, REGRESSED over the past year...a team that, despite not passing especially well, continues to overpass in the offensive zone...and a team, with mediocre talent (especially at the forward position as I have opined many times) that plays with a mistake-prone IQ...I do feel for Neumeier, who is tasked with trying to provide some skill/talent to a team lacking in both...the jury is out and, as I have said, the recruits pulled in by our new coaching staff (other than the transfer portal) have been average at best and probably will continue into next year...it's year #3 folks and an appropriate time to look at what this new staff is bringing to the table...and it's been 20 years in a program that has had TWO seasons where we've been above 3 wins over .500 (2013-14 and 2014-15)...I think I (and others) certainly have a right to be disappointed during this time period and (sadly) what may be facing us going forward...48 years of Silver Puck and counting...that, too, BTW will never stop...

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

There aren’t many positive things to say tonight other than there are four ECAC Hockey teams wishing that they were in our shoes and hosting the single-elimination game next weekend. And one of them is our opponent tomorrow night. Go ‘Gate!

 

[Rainman]

We're on a 5 game winless slide at the worst possible time. Our last win was the OT win at Cornell. I thought that would have been a springboard for success going into the postseason but it seems the 7-6 regulation loss to Union has really gotten into our heads...

 

[TchrBill]

Ditto that TGC. What another forgettable season. How do you recruit players when your record is this bad? The women are experiencing a slide of their own and that has me even more annoyed. Like MBB, nothing lasts forever.

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

My frustration most of this season has been how many penalties that we have taken.
In my mind, it is pretty bad when we are averaging more penalty minutes than our travel partner.
Our coach is openly saying that we are trying to be more physical 'up to a line.'
When I hear that, my reaction is, 'but we are having a hard time finding and toeing that line.'
When Rainman said that we are on a five-game winless streak, I looked...
sure enough, in those five games, we had more penalty minutes than the four teams to which we lost, and we tied Princeton in penalty minutes and goals.
So, I dove deeper into our entire season, and this is what I found...

33 games: 11-18-4

15 Games in which Colgate has been Most Penalized (in minutes): 5-8-2, which speaks to our Penalty Kill.
14 Games in which Opponent has been Most Penalized (in minutes): 6-7-1, which speaks to our Power Play.
4 Games in which both Colgate and Opponent have been Equally Penalized (in minutes): 0-3-1.

In doing this research, I knew that the two-game Cornell series was loaded with Minor and Major penalties drawn by both teams. There is no love lost there.
And the Quinnipiac series didn't surprise me with how they play.
But I forgot how bad the first game at Michigan State was, with Minor and Major penalties called on both teams.
The biggest surprise to me, though, were the Major penalties called on Colgate in both RPI games this season. That needs to end.

 

[TheGreenCoat]

How about 20 years of Pairwise/NPI rankings? The ranking system isn't perfect, but has been tweaked over time and, when the data is sufficiently extensive, gives a relatively good picture of the health of a hockey program. Starting in 2006-07 our rankings (out of 60 to low 60s total DI programs is as follows: 39, 33, 38, 37, 49, 28, 39, 12 (Tyson, Tyler & others), 17 (Tyson, Tyler & others), 42, 50, 33, 50, 42, 37 (COVID; 51 teams ranked), 31, 26, 36, 28, 49 (year-to-date)...I like to publish such numbers after I've basically lost it mentally and thinking that anecdotally we play well in the succeeding game...SLU is improving and historically when we do win it's quite close...gee, maybe more than 700 seats will be sold tonight...

 

[sshablak]

Coat...At least our Bruins are very watchable now. The Rangers have "mirrored" Boston's season last year !

 

[sshablak]

It's been a long time since the last two games of the regular season don't really make much difference in the standings for us. Normally we're fighting for at least fourth place and a first round bye. It's been a disappointing season, look good one weekend and terrible the next, no consistency. Take this weekend, sweep or lose both, or split, nothing would surprise me.
I do remember finishing #12 and upsetting #1 and #2 on the road.

On the flip side...first place is up for grabs tonight between Q-Pac, Dartmouth, and I believe Cornell. Princeton and Harvard are tied for fourth for the last bye.

 

[TheGreenCoat]

Bruins have been very, very streaky but always seem to respond...the Red Wings continue to give me hope...and, yes, very tight at the top...Cashman has done a great job at Dartmouth - no surprise since he was Pecknold's first really good player, a coach with experience and a Pecknold clone...

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

Andrew Takacs led the team out onto the ice for Senior Night’s pregame warmup.
Cameron Smith did the same for Saint Lawrence.

Six seniors started for ‘Gate. All ‘cept Nick Haas.

Saint Lawrence draws first blood.
Minutes later, Saint Lawrence scored a beauty.
And seconds later, Tyson Doucette scored a beauty of his own. From Jack Brandt and Michael Neumeier.

Both goalies haven’t been afraid to leave their net tonight.

Colgate’s Jake Schneider from Jacob Napier and Daniel Panetta.
Seconds later, Colgate’s Isiah Norlin scored from Jake Schneider and Jacob Napier.

2:38 remaining in period. Saint Lawrence with an unassisted goal.

Colgate 10, Saint Lawrence 10, SOG after one.
Colgate 3, Saint Lawrence 3, score after one.

Colgate’s Simone Dadie scored from Daniel Panetta and Isiah Norlin.

Colgate’s Bobby Metz with a beauty from Ryan Spinale and Easton Wainwright.

Saint Lawrence penalty (slashing). Killed, but then Michael Neumeier scored. From Max Nagel and Simon LaBelle.

Saint Lawrence penalty (slashing).
0:07 remaining on the penalty at period end.

Colgate 27, Saint Lawrence 16, SOG after two.
Colgate 6, Saint Lawrence 3, score after two.

SLU penalty killed.

Colgate penalty (elbowing). Killed.
Saint Lawrence penalty (roughing). Killed.

Saint Lawrence penalties.
Colgate penalties.
Colgate coach challenging for major penalty.
Saint Lawrence 5-minute major (charging the goalie).
5 on 4.
Minor penalties killed.
Colgate penalty (interference). Killed.
Saint Lawrence penalty (tripping).

PPG by Colgate’s Jack Brandt with the goal. From Easton Wsinwright and Michael Neumeier.
Official review (possibly for time).
5 on 5.

Saint Lawrence penalty (hitting from behind).
Matching minor penalties.

Colgate 41, Saint Lawrence 22, SOG.
Colgate 7, Saint Lawrence 3, score.

 

[Rainman]

We finally snap our winless slide emphatically! And we re-claim 7th place and don't have to play RPI in the 1st round! (They're the most dangerous of the bottom 4 this season.)