Tough overtime loss to Vermont today, but I liked a lot of what I saw from the Engineers. This is not going to be an easy year, given the failure of the institution to support the team last year. And for the first 10 minutes of the game I thought that I might have trouble following the team...they looked like a mediocre D3 team. But, they just kept getting better and better as the game progressed...really were taking it to Vermont in the last half of the third. It will take some time to get acquainted with most of these players, so I won't try to comment on the play of individuals yet. But I had a list of about 10 players who impressed me. Looking forward to the season, now, even 'though I know it will be a struggle.
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RPI 2021-22 Restart
- Thread starter hab
- Start date
1st 10min of the game was doggie do-do they were lucky to be down only 1-0 after the first, but yea, 2nd and 3rd period RPI outplayed them. Good to see 5-on-5 goals, the 1st one had a 2nd player in position for a rebound if it did not go bar-down and the 2nd one came about from a hard forecheck forcing the turnover, good puck movement, good shot and a grit rebound. The team some speed and for being on the small-side, likes to bang and is a physical team. Missing all of last year hurt - most of this team this is there 1st year of college hockey. If this team can make the ECAC playoffs, which if they keep playing this hard and keep improving, they should, it should be considered a monster success. The goalie is very good which should put them in every game this year.
RPI picked dead last in the coaches poll by EVERYONE.
Ice garden ECAC preview article not inspiring: https://www.theicegarden.com/2021/9...w-ecac-harvard-yale-union-dartmouth-brown-rpi
The team is 4 games in with one exhibition against "middle of the NCAA pack" teams. 0-2-2 (OT loses should be called out). Last game vrs Vermont they looked overmatched but this could easily be a 2-2 team. Teams that have historically struggled have to "learn how to win" and that could be said for this team. Will the pre-season forecasts prove right or can we expect a few surprises? Anyone standing out? The upcoming games vrs Union will be a good barometer.
Ice garden ECAC preview article not inspiring: https://www.theicegarden.com/2021/9...w-ecac-harvard-yale-union-dartmouth-brown-rpi
The team is 4 games in with one exhibition against "middle of the NCAA pack" teams. 0-2-2 (OT loses should be called out). Last game vrs Vermont they looked overmatched but this could easily be a 2-2 team. Teams that have historically struggled have to "learn how to win" and that could be said for this team. Will the pre-season forecasts prove right or can we expect a few surprises? Anyone standing out? The upcoming games vrs Union will be a good barometer.
TovarishchLisa
(Comrade Fox)
Yeah, as a UVM fan that watched both games, RPI was probably better for most of game 1 and only won because 3 on 3 OT is stupid and bad, but game 2 they just kinda ran out of gas
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
A win. 
4-0 over UC
4-0 over UC
Reddington
Well-known member
Blitz will score for you some this year. And a shutout.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
This may be the worst set of highlights I have ever seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcD--mU1FFw
It is called RPI highlights, but none of the goals is included. I suspect that it was produced by Union. Also, it is very repetitious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcD--mU1FFw
It is called RPI highlights, but none of the goals is included. I suspect that it was produced by Union. Also, it is very repetitious.
This weekend was a good barometer and wow what a statement. 13-2 score over the two games.
The Good:
- Rampado is not just good or a very good, but an elite goalie. No drop off from the Nystrom transfer.
- Balanced scoring. McCutcheon had the hat trick, Wagner and Jahnke each had a pair and 6 others had a goal. Nearly everyone stuffed the stat sheet. This is not a one-trick team.
- They are very quick and aggressive. They use their size (or lack of) to their advantage with their team speed. The announcers said that Union was puck-watching on the rebounds but I think the team speed was too much for Union to handle. The Union players were in a position to cover or clear but just could not get to the body or puck fast enough.
- Most of the goals were grit goals off rebounds or in the dirty areas. But McCutheon has proven to be a sniper at distance and Wagner-Jahnke has shown a high skill level. Their second goal has to be one of the highlights of the week in the NCAA.
The Bad:
- Still get hemmed into their own zone too much with long stretches defending and have trouble getting possession or clearing the puck.
- Give up way too many shots still. In a 13-2 weekend you'd expect the SOG to be 3-to-1 or so but they were even. Without an elite goalie these games would have been much closer. The team needs to start to pressure the puck more, block more shots and get out of their zone more often. If Rampado proves to be mortal and has just an average game against the better teams, the score could look 9-2 the other way.
The Outlook:
- Getting to the "middle-third" of the ECAC and make the playoffs should be the goal for the team and looks achievable. Not sure if the team has the ability to compete with the top-third yet but the BU / Providence weekend will be a good indicator.
- This team is fun to root for, in a bad news bears kind of way. Nobody gave them any chance at anything in the pre-season. They have already shown they are light years ahead of 2 seasons ago and the OT losses to Hurst and Vermont were not flukes. They are a young team so will be fun to watch for the next few years.
The Good:
- Rampado is not just good or a very good, but an elite goalie. No drop off from the Nystrom transfer.
- Balanced scoring. McCutcheon had the hat trick, Wagner and Jahnke each had a pair and 6 others had a goal. Nearly everyone stuffed the stat sheet. This is not a one-trick team.
- They are very quick and aggressive. They use their size (or lack of) to their advantage with their team speed. The announcers said that Union was puck-watching on the rebounds but I think the team speed was too much for Union to handle. The Union players were in a position to cover or clear but just could not get to the body or puck fast enough.
- Most of the goals were grit goals off rebounds or in the dirty areas. But McCutheon has proven to be a sniper at distance and Wagner-Jahnke has shown a high skill level. Their second goal has to be one of the highlights of the week in the NCAA.
The Bad:
- Still get hemmed into their own zone too much with long stretches defending and have trouble getting possession or clearing the puck.
- Give up way too many shots still. In a 13-2 weekend you'd expect the SOG to be 3-to-1 or so but they were even. Without an elite goalie these games would have been much closer. The team needs to start to pressure the puck more, block more shots and get out of their zone more often. If Rampado proves to be mortal and has just an average game against the better teams, the score could look 9-2 the other way.
The Outlook:
- Getting to the "middle-third" of the ECAC and make the playoffs should be the goal for the team and looks achievable. Not sure if the team has the ability to compete with the top-third yet but the BU / Providence weekend will be a good indicator.
- This team is fun to root for, in a bad news bears kind of way. Nobody gave them any chance at anything in the pre-season. They have already shown they are light years ahead of 2 seasons ago and the OT losses to Hurst and Vermont were not flukes. They are a young team so will be fun to watch for the next few years.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
I may have asked this already on the old thread, but does anyone know if RPI is going to fill the vacant assistant coach position?
They list Jamie Hazelton as a volunteer assistant coach, so that says to me they filled the spot with an unpaid position. Given the current regime's commitment to athletics, it would not be surprising. One can only hope the university trustees find a president who understands the value of athletics and give the RPI community the support it deserves. To still not allow "outsiders" to watch the games when every other college in the country is allowing, with no masks I might add, is gross negligence by the current administration to support not just the student-athletes, but to the general health and well-being of the school at large.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
They can have a volunteer assistant coach in addition to two AC's. Looking at Hazelton's resum?, she seem doesn't seem qualified for the duties of an AC to me.
Personally, I have no problem with masks being required, but not allowing outsiders to the games is ridiculous.
Highlights from Saturday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftk_ZDSaTWU
Unlike the Union-produced highlights from Friday, RPI did not do a jerk-move and leave out the "other teams" goals/highlights. The 2 Union goals are in there.
Unlike the Union-produced highlights from Friday, RPI did not do a jerk-move and leave out the "other teams" goals/highlights. The 2 Union goals are in there.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
Audrey McCutcheon received the ECAC Rookie of the Week honors.
LeafsFor20
New member
Anyone have any idea how so many D1 hockey programs get away with not sharing the budget and resources equally between the Men's and Women's programs from the NCAA. In addition to the coaching inequity, RPI is not providing the same level of service, facilities, supplies as the Men's team....which is part of the title IX provision.... ???
Reddington
Well-known member
As was explained to me and albeit I'm not an expert - it is not necessarily a program for program match, but it is a total programs for total programs match. For example Syracuse does not have Men's Div 1 hockey.
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
Isn't there also a factor of the men's/women's student ratio in the total programs match? Otherwise how could we get away with a 100+ member football team?
Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
The women's team has hired an operations coordinator https://twitter.com/RPIAthletics/status/1451240509578567684.
Good point. Of course the men's team draws bigger crowds and more revenue (but how much more, really?). But this should not be about revenue generation but about providing high quality athletic opportunities. If RPI is not providing the same sort of assistance to the women's team as to the men's team, how do they justify that?
So I am assuming the 'issue' in equality is because the women have yet to hire a 2nd qualified assistant? Agree that is a gap, especially in recruiting since the assistants are key there. Everything else seems to suggest the men and women have basically the same - same scholarship allotments (unless someone knows different), same facilities, etc., for the student-athletes. I'm sure the coaches are paid "market rates" which, fair or unfair, are quite a bit different between men's and women's programs in all sports, but that does not take away from the student-athletes which Title IX is all about.
Another really good game from the Engineers today, a 4-2 win over #12 Boston University. I missed the first period (apparently BU dominated but Rampado held them to 1-1). Engineers totally dominated the first half of the second period with aggressive forechecking and played well the rest of the way. Final goal was empty net. Exciting team to watch this year! Another tough challenge tomorrow: #9 Providence, who squeaked out a 2-1 win over Union today.
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