| RPI Engineers men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Conference | ECAC |
| First season | 1901–02 |
| Head coach | Dave Smith 7th season, 75–131–17 (.374) |
| Assistant coaches |
|
| Captain | Jake Gagnon |
| Arena | Houston Field House Troy, New York |
| Colors | Cherry and white |
| NCAA Tournament championships | |
| 1954, 1985 | |
| NCAA Tournament Frozen Four | |
| 1953, 1954, 1961, 1964, 1985 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 1953, 1954, 1961, 1964, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995, 2011 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| 1984, 1985, 1995 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| 1952, 1953, 1954, 1984, 1985 | |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
November 2014 game against Michigan
Altti Nykänen in 2023
The RPI Engineers men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). The Engineers are a member of ECAC Hockey conference and play their home games at Houston Field House in Troy, New York.
History
Men's ice hockey at RPI dates back to 1901 and is one of the oldest programs in the United States. The team played as an independent NCAA Division I team from its inception in 1901 through 1938. The team resumed after World War II for the 1949–50 season, and in the following season Rensselaer joined Clarkson, Colgate, Middlebury, St. Lawrence, and Williams to form the Tri-State League for the 1950–51 season. The next three seasons, the 1952–1954 team won the Tri-State League season championships. RPI's first NCAA tournament berth in 1953, coming in third, and the following season in 1954 the team won its first NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship. After a six-year drought the program again made the NCAA tournament in 1961, finishing fourth. The 1960–61 season would be the last season RPI competed in the Tri-State League, as RPI and fellow Tri-State League members Clarkson and St. Lawrence joined the new ECAC Hockey League.
Depending on how the rules are interpreted, the RPI men's ice hockey team may have the longest winning streak on record for a Division I team; in the 1984–85 season it went undefeated for 30 games, but one game was against the University of Toronto, a non-NCAA team. Continuing into the 1985–86 season, RPI continued undefeated over 38 games, including two wins over Toronto. Adam Oates and Daren Puppa, two players during that time, both went on to become stars in the NHL. Joe Juneau, who played from 1987 to 1991, also spent many years in the NHL. Graeme Townshend, who also played in the late 1980s, had a brief NHL career. He is the first person of Jamaican ancestry to play in the National Hockey League.
Traditions
The hockey team plays a significant role in the campus's culture, drawing thousands of fans each week to the Houston Field House during the season. The team's popularity even sparked the tradition of the hockey line, where students lined up for season tickets months in advance of the on-sale date. Today, the line generally begins a week or more before ticket sales. Another tradition since 1978 has been the "Big Red Freakout!" game held close to the first weekend of February. Fans usually dress in the schools colors Red and White, and gifts such as tee-shirts are distributed en masse. From 1995 to 2009, RPI's Division III teams were known as the Red Hawks. However the hockey, football, cross-country, tennis, and track and field teams all chose to retain the longstanding Engineers name. The Red Hawks name was, at the time, very unpopular among the student body; a Red Hawk mascot was frequently taunted with thrown concessions and chants of "kill the chicken!" This was a major factor behind "Engineers" being restored for all teams in 2009.
The official hockey mascot, The Puckman–an anthropomorphic hockey puck with an engineer's helmet–has always been popular.
Season
The RPI Engineers men's ice hockey typically plays between 35 and 42 regular season games per season in the ECAC Hockey Conference. They also usually play one exhibition game against a Canadian college hockey team from Ontario, Nova Scotia, or Quebec. During the season, RPI will play 22 conference games against the other 11 teams in the ECAC. RPI will play each team home game at the Houston Field House and each away game at the respective university's campus. The conference games are typically played on Friday and Saturday nights, with the ECAC scheduling reflecting the Ivy League scheduling of having traveling partners. RPI's travel partner has been Union College since they joined the league in the 1991-92 season. They also play 10-12 non-conference games against teams not in the ECAC. These games typically take place at the beginning of the season in October and around the Thanksgiving and New Year holidays. RPI also plays one non-conference game against their Capital District geographic rival, Union, at the Times Union Center, typically on the last Saturday of January in what has become known as the Mayor's Cup. RPI has opened ECAC Hockey conference play on the last weekend of October against Union since the 2012–13 season. The first conference home game is known as Black Friday or Black Saturday which alternates each year. Other highlights of the season include the Big Red Freakout, which is played on the last or second to last Saturday home game in February.
At the conclusion of the regular season the team will play a minimum of two postseason games in the ECAC Hockey men's ice hockey tournament in the beginning of March. If RPI wins the ECAC Tournament or is invited to the NCAA tournament as an at-large team, they would then play at least one postseason game in late March in the single elimination tournament. RPI last played in the NCAA tournament in 2011.
Season-by-season results
Main article: List of RPI Engineers men's ice hockey seasonsSource:
Records vs. current ECAC Hockey teams
As of the completion of 2018–19 season
| School | Team | Away Arena | Overall record | Win % | Last Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | Bears | Meehan Auditorium | 63–30–9 | .662 | 0-3 L |
| Clarkson University | Golden Knights | Cheel Arena | 51–97–11 | .355 | 2-5 L |
| Colgate University | Raiders | Class of 1965 Arena | 65–63–5 | .508 | 1-2 L (OT) |
| Cornell University | Big Red | Lynah Rink | 38–63–11 | .388 | 3-2 W |
| Dartmouth College | Big Green | Thompson Arena | 46–42–11 | .520 | 2-5 L |
| Harvard University | Crimson | Bright-Landry Hockey Center | 37–58–8 | .398 | 1-3 L |
| Princeton University | Tigers | Hobey Baker Memorial Rink | 69–37–11 | .637 | 6-2 W |
| Quinnipiac University | Bobcats | People's United Center | 7–17–9 | .348 | 1-2 |
| St. Lawrence University | Saints | Appleton Arena | 60–83–7 | .423 | 6-5 W |
| Union College | Dutchmen | Achilles Rink | 53–40–11 | .563 | 0-0 T |
| Yale University | Bulldogs | Ingalls Rink | 57–52–6 | .522 | 0-4 L |
Head coaches
As of the completion of 2023–24 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901–1904, 1906–1917, 1923–1924 | No Coach | 15 | 14–34–3 | .304 |
| 1917–1923 | Leroy Clark | 6 | 3–17–1 | .167 |
| 1924–1925 | W. J. Cook | 1 | 2–2–0 | .500 |
| 1925–1931, 1936–1937 | Marvin Callan | 8 | 6–20–2 | .250 |
| 1949–1963 | Ned Harkness | 14 | 176–96–7 | .643 |
| 1963–1964 | Rube Bjorkman | 1 | 18–8–0 | .692 |
| 1964–1969 | Garry Kearns | 5 | 44–63–4 | .414 |
| 1969–1972 | Leon Abbott | 3 | 41–31–4 | .566 |
| 1972–1979 | Jim Salfi | 7 | 103–94–7 | .522 |
| 1979–1989 | Mike Addesa | 10 | 186–124–9 | .597 |
| 1989–1994 | Buddy Powers | 5 | 94–63–13 | .591 |
| 1994–2006 | Dan Fridgen | 12 | 211–193–38 | .520 |
| 2006–2017 | Seth Appert | 11 | 152–221–48 | .418 |
| 2017–Present | Dave Smith | 6 | 75–131–17 | .374 |
| Totals | 13 coaches | 104 seasons | 1,125–1,097–153 | .506 |
Current roster
As of September 14, 2024.
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 
|
Jimmy Goffredo | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-04-24 | Mount Laurel, New Jersey | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | — |
| 4 | 
|
Elliott McDermott | Graduate | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 193 lb (88 kg) | 1999-02-03 | Kingston, Ontario | Massachusetts (HEA) | — |
| 6 |
|
Jack Agnew | Graduate | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2001-10-22 | Oakville, Ontario | Boston College (HEA) | — |
| 7 | 
|
Max Smolinski | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2003-04-02 | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan | Fargo Force (USHL) | — |
| 8 | 
|
William Gilson | Junior | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-06-28 | Old Greenwich, Connecticut | Alaska Anchorage (NCAA) | — |
| 9 |
|
Jordan Tonelli | Graduate | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2000-06-30 | Greenwich, Connecticut | Brown (ECAC) | — |
| 10 | 
|
Gustavs Ozoliņš | Freshman | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 2003-06-19 | Riga, Latvia | Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) | — |
| 11 |
|
Rainers Rullers | Freshman | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2004-12-11 | Riga, Latvia | Madison Capitols (USHL) | — |
| 13 | 
|
Félix Caron | Freshman | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 168 lb (76 kg) | 2004-12-01 | Terrebonne, Quebec | West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL) | — |
| 17 |
|
John Beaton | Graduate | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2000-10-30 | Stittsville, Ontario | Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) | — |
| 18 |
|
Jakob Lee | Graduate | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1999-02-12 | Owen Sound, Ontario | Merrimack (HEA) | — |
| 19 |
|
Sutter Muzzatti | Junior | F | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 240 lb (109 kg) | 2003-06-28 | Okemos, Michigan | Austin Bruins (NAHL) | NSH, 143rd overall 2023 |
| 20 | 
|
Nathan Sullivan | Sophomore | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 191 lb (87 kg) | 2004-05-31 | Calgary, Alberta | Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) | — |
| 23 | 
|
Nick Strom | Senior | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2000-03-21 | Dayton, Minnesota | Western Michigan (NCHC) | — |
| 24 | 
|
Jack Brackett | Graduate | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2000-12-31 | Manassas, Virginia | Maryland Black Bears (NAHL) | — |
| 25 |
|
Dovar Tinling | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-03-03 | Pointe-Claire, Quebec | Penticton Vees (BCHL) | — |
| 27 |
|
Jake Gagnon (C) | Graduate | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1999-11-04 | Pointe-Claire, Quebec | Wellington Dukes (OJHL) | — |
| 28 |
|
Tyler Hotson | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 163 lb (74 kg) | 2003-03-17 | Stratford, Ontario | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) | — |
| 31 | 
|
Noah Giesbrecht | Graduate | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1999-04-18 | White Rock, British Columbia | Ferris State (CCHA) | — |
| 32 | 
|
Carson Dorfman | Freshman | G | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 179 lb (81 kg) | 2003-10-06 | Hermitage, Tennessee | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) | — |
| 34 |
|
Jack Watson | Senior | G | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2000-03-14 | Toronto, Ontario | Coquitlam Express (BCHL) | — |
| 38 |
|
Arvils Bergmanis | Senior | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 1999-12-29 | Riga, Latvia | Alaska (NCAA) | — |
| 43 |
|
Brad McNeil | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 2002-03-15 | Royal Oak, Michigan | Maryland Black Bears (NAHL) | — |
| 44 |
|
Brody Maguire | Freshman | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2004-04-08 | Calgary, Alberta | Okotoks Oilers (BCHL) | — |
| 61 |
|
Lucas Matta | Junior | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-10-04 | Kleinburg, Ontario | Western Michigan (BCHL) | — |
| 71 |
|
Jérémie Payant | Sophomore | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2002-10-07 | Saint-Lazare, Quebec | Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) | — |
| 72 |
|
Jagger Tapper | Freshman | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2004-10-01 | Calgary, Alberta | Okotoks Oilers (BCHL) | — |
| 82 |
|
Mathieu Bourgault | Freshman | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 176 lb (80 kg) | 2003-03-31 | Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec | Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL) | — |
Statistical Leaders
Source:
Career points leaders
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Chiarelli | 1951–1955 | 80 | 155 | 110 | 265 | 43 |
| John Carter | 1982–1986 | 131 | 117 | 108 | 225 | 207 |
| Adam Oates | 1982–1985 | 98 | 66 | 150 | 216 | 52 |
| Bob Brinkworth | 1961–1964 | 71 | 110 | 106 | 216 | 20 |
| Joé Juneau | 1987–1991 | 124 | 69 | 144 | 213 | 157 |
| Paul Midghall | 1956–1959 | 63 | 93 | 118 | 211 | 118 |
| Abbie Moore | 1951–1954 | 61 | 102 | 104 | 206 | 22 |
| Bryan Richardson | 1992–1996 | 141 | 80 | 113 | 193 | 146 |
| Jerry Knightley | 1962–1965 | 71 | 90 | 97 | 187 | 99 |
| Mark Jooris | 1982–1986 | 117 | 84 | 99 | 183 | 70 |
Career goaltending leaders
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games
| Player | Years | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Savory | 2018–2021 | 49 | 2839 | 18 | 24 | 5 | 107 | 6 | .929 | 2.26 |
| Jason Kasdorf | 2012–2016 | 88 | 5025 | 38 | 37 | 9 | 200 | 7 | .920 | 2.39 |
| Allen York | 2008–2011 | 83 | 4898 | 37 | 34 | 8 | 202 | 4 | .914 | 2.47 |
| Nathan Marsters | 2000–2004 | 115 | 6638 | 57 | 50 | 6 | 282 | 10 | .917 | 2.55 |
| Bryce Merriam | 2009–2013 | 56 | 3102 | 18 | 30 | 5 | 134 | 3 | .903 | 2.59 |
| Joel Laing | 1996–2000 | 90 | 5345 | 52 | 31 | 6 | 231 | 13 | .926 | 2.59 |
Statistics current through the end of the 2022–23 season.
Awards and honors
Hockey Hall of FameSource:
|
United States Hockey Hall of FameSource:
|
NCAA
Individual awards
|
NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player
|
All-Americans
- 1952-53: Herb LaFontaine, D; Frank Chiarelli, F
- 1955-56: Garry Kearns, F
- 1957-58: Paul Midghall, F
- 1958-59: Paul Midghall, F
- 1962-63: Bob Brinkworth, F
- 1963-64: Bob Brinkworth, F; Jerry Knightley, F
- 1964-65: Jerry Knightley, F
- 1983-84: John Carter, F; Adam Oates, F
- 1984-85: Ken Hammond, D; Adam Oates, F
- 1985-86: Mike Dark, D
- 1989-90: Joé Juneau, F
- 1999-00: Joel Laing, G
- 2001-02: Marc Cavosie, F
- 2009-10: Chase Polacek, F
- 2010-11: Chase Polacek, F
- 2012-13: Nick Bailen, D
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
- 1951-52: Frank Chiarelli, F
- 1953-54: Frank Chiarelli, F; Abbie Moore, F
- 1983-84: Daren Puppa, G
- 1984-85: John Carter, F
- 1990-91: Joé Juneau, F
- 1992-93: Neil Little, G
- 1996-97: Eric Healey, F
- 1997-98: Eric Healey, F
- 1999-00: Brian Pothier, D; Brad Tapper, F
- 2001-02: Matt Murley, F
- 2010-11: Nick Bailen, D
- 2013-14: Ryan Haggerty, F
ECAC Hockey
Individual awards
|
|
|
Most Outstanding Player in tournament
|
All-Conference
- 1961-62: Bob Brinkworth, F
- 1962-63: Bob Brinkworth, F
- 1963-64: Bill Sack, D; Fred Kitchen, F; Bob Brinkworth, F; Jerry Knightley, F
- 1964-65: Jerry Knightley, F
- 1984-85: Ken Hammond, D; John Carter, F; Adam Oates, F
- 1985–86: Mike Dark, D
- 1989–90: Joé Juneau, F
- 1992–93: Neil Little, G
- 1997–98: Eric Healey, F
- 1998–99: Dan Riva, F
- 1999–00: Joel Laing, G; Brad Tapper, F
- 2001–02: Marc Cavosie, F; Matt Murley, F
- 2009–10: Chase Polacek, F
- 2010–11: Nick Bailen, D; Chase Polacek, F
- 2012–13: Nick Bailen, D
- 2013–14: Ryan Haggerty, F
- 1961-62: Brian Robins, D; Tom McMahon, D; Jim Josephson, F
- 1962-63: Brian Pryce, D; Jerry Knightley, F
- 1963-64: Bill Grisdale, D
- 1967-68: Dale Watson, F
- 1971-72: Don Cutts, G
- 1972-73: Don Cutts, G
- 1977-78: Ian Harrison, G
- 1983-84: John Carter, F; Adam Oates, F; Marty Dallman, F
- 1990–91: Joé Juneau, F
- 1991–92: Stephane Robitaille, D
- 1992–93: Brad Layzell, D
- 1993–94: Ron Pasco, F
- 1994–95: Adam Bartell, D
- 1995–96: Patrick Rochon, D
- 1996–97: Eric Healey, F
- 1999–00: Brian Pothier, D
- 2003–04: Nathan Marsters, G; Scott Basiuk, D; Kevin Croxton, F
- 2009–10: Allen York, G
- 2012–13: Jason Kasdorf, G
- 2015–16: Jason Kasdorf, G
- 2021–22: Ture Linden, F
- 2005–06: Keith McWilliams, D; Kevin Croxton, F
- 2006–07: Jake Luthi, D
- 2010–11: Allen York, G
- 1987–88: Bruce Coles, F; Joé Juneau, F
- 1989–90: Allen Kummu, D; Francois Cadoret, F
- 1990–91: Neil Little, G
- 1991–92: Wayne Clarke, F; Craig Hamelin, F
- 1992–93: Tim Regan, F; Bryan Richardson, F
- 1994–95: Eric Healey, F
- 1995–96: Matt Garver, F; Alain St. Hilaire, F
- 1996–97: Pete Gardiner, F
- 1998–99: Matt Murley, F
- 1999–00: Marc Cavosie, F
- 2000–01: Nathan Marsters, G
- 2002–03: Kevin Croxton, F
- 2003–04: Oren Eizenman, F
- 2005–06: Mathias Lange, G
- 2007–08: Chase Polacek, F
- 2008–09: Patrick Cullen, F
- 2009–10: Jerry D'Amigo, F; Brandon Pirri, F
- 2012–13: Jason Kasdorf, G
- 2014–15: Drew Melanson, F
- 2015–16: Cam Hackett, G
- 2022–23: Sutter Muzzatti, F
Olympians
This is a list of Rensselaer alumni were a part of an Olympic team.
| Name | Position | Rensselaer Tenure | Team | Year | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joé Juneau | Left Wing | 1987–1991 |  CAN |
1992 |  Silver
|
| Marty Dallman | Center | 1980–1984 |  AUT |
1994 | 12th |
| Maurizio Mansi | Right Wing | 1984–1988 |  ITA |
1994, 1998 | 9th, 12th |
| Mathias Lange | Goaltender | 2005–2009 | AUT |
2014 | 10th |
| Miloš Bubela | Forward | 2012–2016 |  SVK |
2018 | 11th |
Engineers in the NHL
See also: Former NCAA players in the National Hockey LeagueAs of July 1, 2024.
| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star | = NHL All-Star and NHL All-Star team | = Hall of Famers |
|
|
Source:
References
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Brand Style Guidelines (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "RPI Engineers – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics Facilities".
- "Inside College Hockey – Rensselaer Engineers".
- ^ "Statistics". USCHO.com.
- "ECAC Hockey" (PDF).
- "RPI Hockey FAQ". Retrieved 2010-03-03.
- "at the beginning of the Hockey Line". RPI History Revealed. 2009-09-08. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- "Rensselaer Men's Hockey Results by Season" (PDF). RPI Engineers. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- "Rensselaer Men's Hockey Record vs. Opponents" (PDF). RPI Engineers. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- "Rensselaer Men's Hockey Head Coaches" (PDF). RPI Engineers. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
- "2024-25 Men's Hockey Roster". RPI Engineers. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
- "Rensselaer Men's Hockey Career Records" (PDF). RPI Engineers. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- "Legends of Hockey". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
- "United States Hockey Hall of Fame". Hockey Central.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ^ Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
- "Alumni report for R.P.I." Hockey DB. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
External links
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | |
|---|---|
| Academics | |
| Culture | |
| Buildings | |
| ECAC Hockey | |
|---|---|
| Teams | |
| Venues |
|
| Men's awards | |
| Women's awards | |
| Men's seasons |
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