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

[Engineers]

While the on ice performance last night was great, it was the off ice performance that I found appalling. After 35 years, most in Section 6, we decided to move to 7 , closer to center ice. When we went to our new seats, the first thing we encountered was the lower seats in that section covered in what I assume is construction dust. How can they let people sit in that? I assume many of the people there are season ticket holders. It was flat out embarrassing.

The second thing that I found absolutely appalling was the men’s bathroom underneath section 8/9. The urinals there are wall to floor and half of them were clogged and some filled with absolutely gross liquid. If the health department ever saw that, they would close the place down. Again quite the thank you to fans coming to see a game.

They need to desperately upgrade the sound system in the field house. It sounds absolutely terrible?!

 

[kurt stutt]

WRPI turns on the transmitter when broadcasting scheduled shows and sporting events. I verified this last night, I picked up the hockey game over FM air.

The technical problems are being addressed, hopefully the station is on the air at full power sometime in November or December. There is currently a temporary fix that does not allow full power broadcasting, which is why it is only activated when people have shows or there are sporting events. It is noticeably weaker than the normal signal.

That is why we announce the frequency. Because we should be on the air during sports broadcasts.

 

[25+years]

Two aspects of the team from the first teo games.
First, they are not a very physical team. OSU seemed to have no problem pushing them around and RPI could not forecheck well enough to generate much offensively.
Second: while I liked their positioning on the power play, the passes were too slow to open up shooting lanes and they made way too many passes.
Overall though I thought they played better than I thought they would. Hopefully they will improve going forward.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

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.

 

[jstadts]

I liked that the guys stood up for one another both on Friday with Caron and the running of Krawchuk on saturday. I think with the influx of chl guys college hockey is going to to get a bit more gritty. I thought the refs overall did a good job. The butt ending call was a sharp eye from the ref. It got past me and the people i was there with. I think the OSU player was shocked he got caught.

 

[DrDemento]

It was a very sneaky butt end thrown - congrats to the ref who saw it. not that the 5 minute major did us much good. We played around far too much with the puck bouncing passes back and forth until one would go awry and waste all that time retrieving in our own zone. but that can be fixed. overall the split was considerably better than I thought possible when i first saw the schedule and we started better than last year thankfully. i would hope we are sharper passing for next weekend and can manage to win a couple at home. One thing is truly obvious - #14 can just freaking fly out there (shades of Kelly Askew but with so much better control of both the puck and his skating)

 

[DrDemento]

Early line on next week - RPI football we are 18 point favorites over Rochester (who normally plays us pretty tough regardless of the odds). Guys hockey we are slight Favorites 0.5 goal over LIU.

The RPI football game with Rochester is in 2 weeks - we have a bye week coming up - probably need it to total up all th epoints and yardage from the past 2 weeks!!!

 

[MikeMidd]

A productive first weekend of the season for RPI. A win and a one-goal loss to a team ranked just outside the top 20, some robust team defense when under pretty heavy pressure, and some opportunistic scoring. Good to see Rullers and Sitar off to a good start, will need them to push us along as the freshmen get used to college hockey.

Equally, relied on Krawchuk to keep us in both games and can't expect him to carry a .957 save percentage all season, took some unnecessary penalties that other teams might punish, and struggled to find the right times to shoot the puck.

Suspect Coach Lang will be pleased with the Friday result, respect the effort but feel we should've been better on Saturday, and take away some good learnings to set us up going forward.

In the game thread someone noted the attendance. Just 2,000 for each game, lower than you'd like for a season opener. May've been the mic placement, but it felt like the student section on the was loud and had good numbers, while the town side looked pretty thin. Curious for impressions from those who were there.

Have also noticed how RPI has upped their game on social media. More active, higher quality content on Instagram in particular. Need to build out the comms and marketing to get local fans back, but a good step.

Let's keep it going.

 

[rpi82]

A productive first weekend of the season for RPI. A win and a one-goal loss to a team ranked just outside the top 20, some robust team defense when under pretty heavy pressure, and some opportunistic scoring. Good to see Rullers and Sitar off to a good start, will need them to push us along as the freshmen get used to college hockey.

Equally, relied on Krawchuk to keep us in both games and can't expect him to carry a .957 save percentage all season, took some unnecessary penalties that other teams might punish, and struggled to find the right times to shoot the puck.

Suspect Coach Lang will be pleased with the Friday result, respect the effort but feel we should've been better on Saturday, and take away some good learnings to set us up going forward.

In the game thread someone noted the attendance. Just 2,000 for each game, lower than you'd like for a season opener. May've been the mic placement, but it felt like the student section on the was loud and had good numbers, while the town side looked pretty thin. Curious for impressions from those who were there.

Have also noticed how RPI has upped their game on social media. More active, higher quality content on Instagram in particular. Need to build out the comms and marketing to get local fans back, but a good step.

Let's keep it going.

Seems like a pretty reasonable assessment, although sitting on the Troy side I actually thought it was better attended than the student stands. Then again, the reality is that work needs to be done to bring back both. The social media improvements are a small, but necessary step.

The new ice seemed to be a huge improvement, which may be perfect timing given the increase in team speed. One thing that surprised me, however, was the new boards. They were fine, but I expected them to be livelier.

 

[MikeMidd]

Seems like a pretty reasonable assessment, although sitting on the Troy side I actually thought it was better attended than the student stands. Then again, the reality is that work needs to be done to bring back both. The social media improvements are a small, but necessary step.

The new ice seemed to be a huge improvement, which may be perfect timing given the increase in team speed. One thing that surprised me, however, was the new boards. They were fine, but I expected them to be livelier.

On the fans, good to know, and of course the camera angle probably doesn't do the Troy side any favors, given it rarely pans up very high and fans probably aren't sitting down low behind the away bench.

Agree entirely on the hard work to bring back fans. It'll be a long journey, but winning is the most important thing.

Great to hear about the ice. Would love for one of the local journalists or podcasts to ask the players what they think of it compared to the old surface.

 

[MikeMidd]

On a separate note, just seen that RPI received 3 votes in this week's USCHO top 20 poll.

According to Google, the last time the Engineers received votes was October 26, 2020. Of course, they didn't play a single game that season.

Baby steps. Doesn't mean anything and doesn't win you games. But just being in the conversation is a step forward. Eric Lang is going to make things happen here, I just feel it. Let's go Red!

 

[tony/troy]

MikeMidd said:
A productive first weekend of the season for RPI. A win and a one-goal loss to a team ranked just outside the top 20, some robust team defense when under pretty heavy pressure, and some opportunistic scoring. Good to see Rullers and Sitar off to a good start, will need them to push us along as the freshmen get used to college hockey.

Equally, relied on Krawchuk to keep us in both games and can't expect him to carry a .957 save percentage all season, took some unnecessary penalties that other teams might punish, and struggled to find the right times to shoot the puck.

Suspect Coach Lang will be pleased with the Friday result, respect the effort but feel we should've been better on Saturday, and take away some good learnings to set us up going forward.

In the game thread someone noted the attendance. Just 2,000 for each game, lower than you'd like for a season opener. May've been the mic placement, but it felt like the student section on the was loud and had good numbers, while the town side looked pretty thin. Curious for impressions from those who were there.

Have also noticed how RPI has upped their game on social media. More active, higher quality content on Instagram in particular. Need to build out the comms and marketing to get local fans back, but a good step.

Let's keep it going.

Seems like a pretty reasonable assessment, although sitting on the Troy side I actually thought it was better attended than the student stands. Then again, the reality is that work needs to be done to bring back both. The social media improvements are a small, but necessary step.

The new ice seemed to be a huge improvement, which may be perfect timing given the increase in team speed. One thing that surprised me, however, was the new boards. They were fine, but I expected them to be livelier.

Did cover in great detail the future attendance issues that could result from a two year fan ban in the past and there is really no need to go to that level of detail again now. However, at the very beginning warned explicitly about fan reaction to a complete program shutdown for 20-21 (only 7 other programs did so) without even dreaming the following season of 21-22 would be played in a completely and insanely closed to the public building. By the fall of 21 even my small local private high school welcomed back fans without any restrictions to occupy and pack very limited seating areas both indoors and outdoors. At the same time, RPI with a huge stadium and arena that both hold thousands said can't swing that.

Combine the above with institution releases that were both mailed and/or posted that referred to fans in the most insulting, demeaning, dismissive and contemptuous terms imaginable (not going to rehash those either) and I knew right then and there that it was over for having fans ever returning in similar numbers to pre pandemic levels (and said so at the time).

It says 2,000 above for the recent weekend and that appears to be accurate. Last year the average was 1,698 per game which was inflated dramatically by both Freakout and free food nights for students (who all left as soon as the free food was gone). However, just before the pandemic hit, there was one of the few high points (Jan. & Feb. of 2020) of RPI Hockey since the early 2000's and average crowds were trending back up toward the 3,000 mark. Then it was fans get lost for two years and poof it was all gone. The players bolted in massive numbers and when they finally got around to playing again (Oct.21) the program sucked again and the crowds that were beginning to grow again vanished and never returned when they were allowed back in (Oct. 22). Just as I suspected would happen at the time and said so right here on this thread. However, even I had no idea just how much the crowds would sink which was literally by one-third.

Yes, one third have never returned!!! Some may drop in every so often but an even greater number have never set foot in the building again. Go away for two years was simply too long and people just found something else to do, just as I predicted they would back when. If they were ever going to come back it would have happened by now in year five since you can all come back now. The entire group of season ticket holders I used to sit with and around since the late 1970's are now seats that mostly sit empty game after game after game. Quite bluntly, it was no longer any fun sitting up there by myself and had I not hooked up with the remnants of another once sizeable group that I always knew fairly well, I would probably now be gone too. By the way, that other once sizeable group now itself numbers a whole whopping three!!!

The historic vintage crowd is gone and they are gone for good regardless of future won loss record. Any attendance recovery will have to come from a new group of most likely younger fans who somehow get lured to trying a night at the Fieldhouse and maybe catch the hockey bug. Unfortunately, I do not believe such a new group exists in any sufficient numbers around the Capital District and even if it does, the institution does not have the people with the marketing and promotion savvy to make anything of it like the local independent minor league baseball club has and does.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

On the fans, good to know, and of course the camera angle probably doesn't do the Troy side any favors, given it rarely pans up very high and fans probably aren't sitting down low behind the away bench.

Agree entirely on the hard work to bring back fans. It'll be a long journey, but winning is the most important thing.

Great to hear about the ice. Would love for one of the local journalists or podcasts to ask the players what they think of it compared to the old surface.

On Saturday night it they put all of the alumni attendees on the town side, including the class of '76 celebrating their 50th anny. I suspect this done to show better attendance on the tv broadcast, as the cameras are on the home bench side of the ice.

The ice is very good, not only from the naked eye but in chatting with one of the WIH players. I would note that the semi-permanent trailered chiller units are still in use behind HFH. (the visiting team buses are forced to park in B Lot) I have no idea what that means, it could simply be a commissioning technique for breaking in the new ice equipment, but that's strictly a guess.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Bigger problem is the same old concrete walkways to the grandstands that used to be covered with rubber mats. Now they are bare concrete which in a perfect storm set of circumstances can sometimes get outright slippery when wet. A cooler building, the wrong foot attire and a layer of water from a rainy or snowy afternoon or night can combine to make concrete slippery. Just like my own garage!!!

Unlike my place where I can't sue myself, anybody who takes a tumble can sue them. Far cheaper to just replace that damned mats!!!

Bigger problem is the same old concrete walkways to the grandstands that used to be covered with rubber mats. Now they are bare concrete which in a perfect storm set of circumstances can sometimes get outright slippery when wet. A cooler building, the wrong foot attire and a layer of water from a rainy or snowy afternoon or night can combine to make concrete slippery. Just like my own garage!!!

Unlike my place where I can't sue myself, anybody who takes a tumble can sue them. Far cheaper to just replace that damned mats!!!

The newer rinks I've been in lately (Union, Colgate) have polished concrete floors - they are low maintenance and durable - many large retailers use them for just this reason ( and they absolutely would not use them if they were a liability). They are typically machine burnished and then finished with products that lessen the slipperiness. Of course, time will tell at HFH when inclimate weather arrives.

 

[DrDemento]

Although just about everything has been said about the lower attendance figures, one more thing to consider is that visiting teams coming in often just do not travel well (their fans just do not follow the teams to other venues). Exceptions are of course, Cornell, Union, Clarkson and SLU but they make up only 4 of the approximate 16-18 home dates included.
But as has been said, the vast majority of the empty seats at HFH are due to apathy from the students and the locals. Much of it deservedly so after years of poor performance on the ice but I honestly believe we are still seeing the damage done by the complete forced shut down of a season and the fan lock out that followed. Thankfully, that was all done by a previous administration and we should not be seeing anything resembling that again.

 

[tanman]

Although just about everything has been said about the lower attendance figures, one more thing to consider is that visiting teams coming in often just do not travel well (their fans just do not follow the teams to other venues). Exceptions are of course, Cornell, Union, Clarkson and SLU but they make up only 4 of the approximate 16-18 home dates included.
But as has been said, the vast majority of the empty seats at HFH are due to apathy from the students and the locals. Much of it deservedly so after years of poor performance on the ice but I honestly believe we are still seeing the damage done by the complete forced shut down of a season and the fan lock out that followed. Thankfully, that was all done by a previous administration and we should not be seeing anything resembling that again.

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.

 

[sezenack]

On a separate note, just seen that RPI received 3 votes in this week's USCHO top 20 poll.

According to Google, the last time the Engineers received votes was October 26, 2020. Of course, they didn't play a single game that season.

Baby steps. Doesn't mean anything and doesn't win you games. But just being in the conversation is a step forward. Eric Lang is going to make things happen here, I just feel it. Let's go Red!

Google is wrong. They received votes in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons

 

[sezenack]

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

 

[DrDemento]

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

I felt we looked almost their equal in most respects. not any better but not much worse and as you mention, a split was a nice way to start the season. I am expecting a little better this coming weekend and would see anything less than a sweep (even if the games are very close) as disappointing.

 

[tanman]

I felt we looked almost their equal in most respects. not any better but not much worse and as you mention, a split was a nice way to start the season. I am expecting a little better this coming weekend and would see anything less than a sweep (even if the games are very close) as disappointing.

I would have signed up for the split at the start of the weekend. Then I was greedy by the start of the 3rd period Saturday, alas. Krawchuk stood on his head which I think was the biggest difference maker. They had trouble with sustained offensive zone possession and forechecking, but their D was much improved . Watching past teams diddle around with the puck in their own end until they cough up a scoring opportunity was so infuriating.