The RPI Engineers men's ice hockey team is a

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA) Division I

college ice hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the go ...

program that represents

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (; RPI) is a private university, private research university in Troy, New York, United States. It is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. It was establishe ...

(RPI). The Engineers are a member of

ECAC Hockey ECAC Hockey is one of the six conferences that compete in NCAA Division I college ice hockey, ice hockey. The conference used to be affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference, a consortium of over 300 colleges in the eastern United ...

conference and play their home games at Houston Field House in

Troy, New York Troy is a city in and the county seat of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. It is located on the western edge of the county, on the eastern bank of the Hudson River just northeast of the capital city of Albany, New York, Albany. At the ...

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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

, 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 The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

, 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 Daren James Puppa (born March 23, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender in the NHL. During his career, he played for the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He won the 1985 NCAA Championship w ...

, 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

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

n ancestry to play in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

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 Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, or

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. 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 The Ivy League is an American collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference of eight Private university, private Research university, research universities in the Northeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegia ...

scheduling of having traveling partners. RPI's travel partner has been

Union College Union College is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the s ...

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 Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

and New Year holidays. RPI also plays one non-conference game against their Capital District geographic rival, Union, at the

Times Union Center MVP Arena (originally Knickerbocker Arena, and then the Pepsi Arena and Times Union Center) is an indoor arena located in Albany, New York. It is configurable and can accommodate from 6,000 to 17,500 people, with a maximum seating capacity of ...

, 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 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

Season-by-season results

Source:

Records vs. current ECAC Hockey teams

As of the completion of 2018–19 season

Head coaches

American International head coach Eric Lang

As of the completion of 2024–25 season

Current roster

As of September 14, 2024.

Statistical leaders

Source:

Career points leaders

Career goaltending leaders

''GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% =

Save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various Goal (sports), goal-scoring sports that track Save (goaltender), saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse and association football, it is a sta ...

; GAA =

Goals against average Goals against average (GAA), also known as average goals against (AGA), is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on spo ...

'' Minimum 30 games Statistics current through the end of the 2022–23 season.

Awards and honors

Hockey Hall of Fame

Source: * Adam Oates (2012)

United States Hockey Hall of Fame

Source: *

Ned Harkness Nevin Donald Harkness (September 19, 1919 – September 19, 2008) was an National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA head coach of ice hockey and lacrosse at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Cornell University and of ice hockey at Union ...

(1994)

NCAA

Individual awards

NCAA Scoring Champion * Frank Chiarelli: 1952 * Jerry Knightley: 1964 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player * Abbie Moore: 1954

All-Americans

AHCA First Team 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 Joseph Juneau () (born January 5, 1968) is a Canadian former professional hockey player and engineer, born in Pont-Rouge, Quebec. He played in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, ...

, 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:

, G *1984-85: John Carter, F *1990-91:

, 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

Player of the Year * Bob Brinkworth: 1963, 1964 * Marc Cavosie: 2002 * Chase Polacek: 2010, 2011 Rookie of the Year * Bob Brinkworth: 1962 * Don Cutts: 1972 * George Servinis: 1983 *

Jerry D'Amigo Jerry Vincent D'Amigo (born February 19, 1991) is an Americans, American former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), right winger. He is currently an assistant coach for the Elmira Aviators of the NAHL. He most recently played for HK 3 ...

: 2010 * Jason Kasdorf: 2013 Ken Dryden Award * Joel Laing: 2000 Most Outstanding Player in tournament * Adam Oates: 1984 *

: 1985 * Mike Tamburro: 1995

All-Conference

First Team All-ECAC Hockey * 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:

, 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 Second Team All-ECAC Hockey * 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:

, 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 Third Team All-ECAC Hockey * 2005–06: Keith McWilliams, D; Kevin Croxton, F * 2006–07: Jake Luthi, D * 2010–11: Allen York, G ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team * 1987–88: Bruce Coles, F;

, 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 Tim Regan (born June 27, 1981) is a former American soccer defender, and coach who currently is the head coach for the Bradley Braves men's soccer program. College Regan played college soccer at Bradley University from 1999 to 2002, where he e ...

, F;

Bryan Richardson Bryan Anthony Richardson (born 24 February 1944) is a former English cricketer. Richardson was a left-handed batsman (cricket), batsman who played first-class cricket for Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Warwickshire from 1963 to 1967. He was ...

, 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:

, 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.

Engineers in the NHL

As of July 1, 2024. File:Brandonpirri.jpg, Brandon Pirri Source:

References

External links

* {{New York Sports College ice hockey teams in New York (state) NCAA Division I men's ice hockey teams 1901 establishments in New York (state) Ice hockey clubs established in 1901