200th Post- RPI Holiday Win?

It has been a crazy couple of years here at RPI Hockey. Blogspot. Com. I have posted my musings on the Cherry and White and have been linked on many RPI blogs and College hockey blogs, for which I am truly thankful. I am just a fan who wants the lads to do well and it seems like y'all out there agree!

And what a better way to celebrate 200 posts then to talk about RPI ACTUALLY WINNING THEIR OWN TOURNAMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LIKE 700 YEARS!!!! It was also a real up and down tourney with RPI scoring 9 but giving up 7. It is nice to know that if the D gives up easy ones (like the last BG goal in regulation) or York is off, the O can pick it up and actually win shootouts. I think the key to this team starts in net but it bodes well for the second half of the season if the O can pick up the slack when needed.

Also, congrats to Tyler who had two goals over the weekend. Of course, Brutlag was the real MVP amassing 2 goals and one assist but more importantly a goal when it counted, for the freakin' win! Go Red, go White!

Great Video

From those folks over at Without a Peer, really check this out. A great way to start Turkey Day!

Holiday, Holiday, Holiday, Holiday

Happy Turkey Day to everyone out there in Cherry and White land! Can't wait to listen to the Holiday Tourney on the Interwebs as RPI some questionable teams again. It has been awhile since RPI has actually won the tourney but hope spring eternal!

I just stumbled across this new RPI Hockey blog which I thought I would turn you guys onto. They say hockey is a religion well this guy takes it to new heights.

http://firstchurchofrpihockey.wikispaces.com/

I particularly like this second commandment:

II.

Thou shalt respect thy idol, Father Puckman

For the tourney, I see RPI beating Conn in the semifinal and then losing to BGSU in the final. Whatever the results, I hope you have lots of turkey and lots of good family memories!

No Hockey? What To Do.

Well the lads in Cherry and White are taking a week off. The next games will be after Turkey Day for the annual Holiday Tournament. I had many a mug from the Holiday Tourneys of old but as I believe I have documented on here, no mugs this time!

This will be my first HT that I have missed in awhile. I usually tried to make the first RPI game but now I will have to listen from afar. Still, what to do with the downtime?

I Think I Will

1) Start cutting out felt letters and numbers for an eventual champeenship on my mini-replica National Championship banner.
2) Create a Paypal account and website to help pay the fines SA receives for speaking his mind.
3) Polish the old vuvuzela that was used in 80s freakouts before the World Cup came along.
4) Light a candle of thanks for Jason Moy and his brilliant USCHO website.

A Split?

I can accept a lot of things about my life. I can accept the fact that I am good looking. That people want to fly me on their private jets everywhere. That I live in a place that is perpetually sunny and in the 70s.

What I am having difficultly understanding is how a team that is as talented as RPI has been over the last two seasons CONSISTENTLY be a .500 team. It gets to the point where you want them to win the weekend, they NEED to win the weekend but man, they just lose that Friday night game and that is that.

I really believe the ECAC is there for the taking. If you said that a team had a top league scorer and the best goaltender, you would think that team would be tops of the table. Instead it is a constant split weekend, split months and ultimately not a good position for the ECAC playoffs.

I remain hopeful though. Things slow down after the holiday tourneys and then the real meat of the ECAC schedule takes hold and we will see what's what for RPI this season. Until then, I will accept RPI is a .500 team in the ECAC until they prove me wrong.

Rivals

What makes for a good rivalry? Certainly the function of geography helps. "Cross town", "subway series" and other catchphrases belies the fact that if you are in the same town, county or even sometimes state you have fanbases ready to state why they are best.

History also plays a part. Is one team the new kid on the block? Have there been missed calls or terrible puck bounces that stick with the fans forever?

Finally, who do the fans look to as their rival? One of the most interesting thought exercises is to ask "who is your top rival?" between Sabres, Leafs, Sens and Habs fans. Often, who you look to as a rival is big kid/small kid syndrome due to location and history.

Well, RPI has this in spades with Union and this weekend, the travel partners become bitter enemies in back to back games. As an RPI fan, I can say my dislike for Union comes mostly from location as well the history of the 2 programs. RPI, long standing program, 2 time national champ with multiple NHL players. Union, seems like they were formed yesterday, have done slightly better over the last 10 years and really, their uniforms are terrible. Factor that all in and I want RPI to stomp all over them this weekend.

I don't want RPI to be a .500 team (an ENTERTAINING .500 team but still) and it all starts this weekend. I think York leading the way, hopefully stomps all over em. Let's go Cherry And White!

One Night Only, Hurray Hurra Hurra

Hey everyone, this was passed along to me and if you have time and the desire to go up the Northway, go see one of the former Cherry And Reds go at it tonight!

Attention all RPI alumni and fans! Jerry D’Amigo returns to the area as a member of the Toronto Marlies for the only time this season! The Adirondack Phantoms face Jerry and the Marlies at 7:00pm. Come to the Glens Falls Civic Center box office, say “I’m from RPI” and receive a special $5 ticket tonight only. For more information, call the Adirondack Phantoms at 518-480-3355.

Buy Me A Powerball Ticket

For some crazy reason, RPI is pretty much tracking along my predictions each week. 1-1 this weekend, killing D, losing to H? Yea I think I nailed it. What is apparent is that SA better do everything he possibly can to convince York to stick around for the next two years. He keeps the Cherry and White in the game and very rarely lets other teams back in once RPI's offense is clicking.

I think with the season in full swing, we will see RPI break out of the .500 blues this season and maybe get it up to .666 (DEVIL!) this season. With Tyler assisting, Chase scoring and York backstopping, I think the team has a legit chance to be in the top 4 of the league this year. One thing I would like to see if the scoring be more consistent. 4 goals 1 game and NONE the second game? York will keep them in it, just get a few more goals lads!

Ivies

RPI is going up against the Green of Dartmouth and Crimson of Harvard this weekend. Both teams don't have a lot of history this season to draw upon but you have to like the goals for/against on Dartmouth (5/8). Dartmouth has traditionally been around a .500 team but Harvard has had some great runs in the regular season. I figure probably a split this weekend with RPI taking Big Green.