2023–24 RPI Engineers men's ice hockey season
College ice hockey team season
The 2023–24 RPI Engineers Men's ice hockey season was the 104th season of play for the program and the 62nd in ECAC Hockey . The Engineers represented Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute , played their home games at Houston Field House and were coached by Dave Smith in his 6th season.
Season
From the very start of the season, Rensselaer encountered a problem that would plague them all year long. In their first four games, the defense surrendered a veritable avalanche of shots to the opposing teams. While their opposition at this time would all end up finishing the year ranked in the top 20, the porous defense persisted. Their three goaltenders, who weren't brilliant to begin with, suffered as a result. RPI allowed at least 4 goals in ten of their first twelve games and gave the team little chance to win from night to night. At one point, the team turned to Brett Miller, a senior who had seen very little playing time in his college career, as starter but that experiment lasted just a few games. It wasn't until after Christmas that the Watson was able to settle down and string together some decent performances.
After winning four of five coming out of the winter break, Rensselaer miraculously found itself in the middle of the conference standings. The reprieve, however, was short-lived. The defense faltered and team won just twice in its final fourteen games. The Engineers stumbled to a last-place finish in ECAC Hockey and entered the postseason with no momentum or expectations. However, once the postseason began, RPI found itself with an opportunity. Rensselaer was pitted against its long-time rival, Clarkson , and they relished the chance to ruin the Golden Knights' season. The Engineers scored twice in the first period to take an early lead all the while letting Clarkson sleep-walk through the opening 40 minutes. After Sutter Muzzatti increased the team's lead in third, the Knights finally fought back and ended up firing 22 shots in the third period. They managed to get the puck past Watson twice but he held up over the final two minutes and carried the Engineers to victory.
The rather surprising upset caused RPI to be set against defending national champion Quinnipiac in the quarterfinals. The first match was entirely controlled by the Bobcats but RPI gave a good performance in the rematch. The match remained close throughout until Quinnipiac scored two-empty-net goals in the final 70 seconds.
Rensselaer finished the season with one of its worst defensive performances. RPI had allowed more than 4 goals against on average and were the second-worst defensive team that season. Only Stonehill , who was in the process of transitioning from Division II , was worse.[ 1]
Departures
Recruiting
Roster
As of September 19, 2023.[ 2]
No. S/P/C
Player
Class
Pos
Height
Weight
DoB
Hometown
Previous team
NHL rights
1
Carson Cherepak Sophomore
G 6' 0" (1.83 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
2002-10-09
Winnipeg, Manitoba Dauphin (MJHL —
2
Jimmy Goffredo Freshman
D 5' 11" (1.8 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
2003-04-24
Mount Laurel, New Jersey Des Moines (USHL —
3
Lauri Sertti Senior
D 6' 2" (1.88 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
1999-07-11
Espoo, Finland Amarillo (NAHL —
6
Jack Agnew Senior
D 5' 11" (1.8 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
2001-10-22
Oakville, Ontario Boston College (HEA —
7
Max Smolinski Sophomore
F 5' 11" (1.8 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
2003-04-02
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Fargo (USHL —
8
C. J. Regula Graduate
D 6' 3" (1.91 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1998-05-29
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Ohio State (Big Ten —
9
Ryan Brushett Graduate
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1998-06-14
Montreal, Quebec UMass Lowell (HEA —
10
Dylan Davies Senior
D 6' 3" (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
2001-02-09
Traverse City, Michigan Sioux Falls (USHL —
11
Nick Ardanaz Sophomore
D 5' 10" (1.78 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
2002-05-30
Surrey, British Columbia West Kelowna (BCHL —
12
Austin Heidemann Senior
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1999-06-27
Blaine, Minnesota Mercyhurst (AHA —
14
John Evans Sophomore
F 5' 10" (1.78 m)
150 lb (68 kg)
2002-04-08
South Surrey, British Columbia West Kelowna (BCHL —
15
Altti Nykänen Senior
F 6' 3" (1.91 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
2001-09-26
Vihti, Finland Bishop's College (CISAA )—
17
John Beaton Senior
F 6' 2" (1.88 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
2000-10-30
Stittsville, Ontario Youngstown (USHL —
18
Jakob Lee Senior
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1999-02-12
Owen Sound, Ontario Merrimack (HEA —
19
Sutter Muzzatti Sophomore
F 6' 6" (1.98 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
2003-06-28
Okemos, Michigan Austin (NAHL NSH 2023
20
Nathan Sullivan Freshman
F 6' 3" (1.91 m)
191 lb (87 kg)
2004-05-31
Calgary, Alberta Camrose (AJHL —
22
Danny Ciccarello Sophomore
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
2001-03-23
Kirkland, Quebec Fort McMurray (AJHL —
23
Nick Strom Junior
D 6' 0" (1.83 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
2000-03-21
Dayton, Minnesota Western Michigan (NCHC —
24
Jack Brackett Senior
F 5' 10" (1.78 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
2000-12-31
Manassas, Virginia Maryland (NAHL —
25
Dovar Tinling Junior
F 5' 11" (1.8 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
2003-03-03
Pointe-Claire, Quebec Penticton (BCHL —
27
Jake Gagnon C Senior
F 5' 10" (1.78 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1999-11-04
Pointe-Claire, Quebec Wellington (OJHL —
28
Tyler Hotson Freshman
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
163 lb (74 kg)
2003-03-17
Stratford, Ontario Sioux City (USHL —
29
Brendan Budy Graduate
F 5' 11" (1.8 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
2000-06-06
Langley, British Columbia North Dakota (NCHC —
30
Brett Miller Senior
G 6' 2" (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1999-04-26
Northville, Michigan Austin (NAHL —
34
Jack Watson Junior
G 6' 3" (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
2000-03-14
Toronto, Ontario Coquitlam (BCHL —
43
Brad McNeil Freshman
F 6' 0" (1.83 m)
181 lb (82 kg)
2002-03-15
Royal Oak, Michigan Maryland (NAHL —
51
Finn Brown Sophomore
F 6' 3" (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
2002-04-06
Toronto, Ontario Alberni Valley (BCHL —
61
Lucas Matta Sophomore
D 6' 2" (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
2002-10-04
Kleinburg, Ontario Western Michigan (BCHL —
71
Jérémie Payant Freshman
F 5' 10" (1.78 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
2002-10-07
Saint-Lazare, Quebec Nanaimo (BCHL —
Standings
Conference record
Overall record
GP
W
L
T
OTW
OTL
SW
PTS
GF
GA
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
#6 Quinnipiac †
22
17
4
1
0
2
0
54 99
39
39
27
10
2
160
79
#9 Cornell *
22
12
6
4
1
2
3
44 74
45
35
22
7
6
115
65
Colgate 22
13
7
2
2
2
2
43 85
68
36
16
16
4
120
112
Dartmouth 22
9
6
7
1
1
3
37 66
60
32
13
10
9
92
91
Clarkson 22
12
9
1
4
2
1
36 62
58
35
18
16
1
95
97
Union 22
9
10
3
1
1
2
32 75
75
37
16
18
3
123
121
St. Lawrence 22
8
10
4
1
1
1
29 49
64
39
14
19
6
90
118
Harvard 22
6
10
6
1
2
3
28 49
64
32
7
19
6
70
106
Princeton 22
8
11
3
4
0
2
25 70
90
30
10
16
4
89
114
Yale 22
7
13
2
1
2
1
25 46
57
30
10
18
2
63
91
Brown 22
6
14
2
2
3
1
22 43
69
30
8
19
3
61
98
Rensselaer 22
6
13
3
0
0
0
21 58
89
37
10
23
4
93
150
Championship : March 23, 2024† indicates conference regular season champion (Cleary Cup ) indicates conference tournament champion (Whitelaw Cup ) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll
Schedule and results
Date
Time
Opponent#
Rank#
Site
TV
Decision
Result
Attendance
Record
Exhibition
October 7
3:00 pm
Union *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York (Rivalry , Exhibition)ESPN+
T 2–2 SOW
October 8
3:00 pm
Guelph *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York (Exhibition)ESPN+
W 6–4
Regular Season
October 12
7:00 pm
at Maine *
Alfond Arena • Orono, Maine ESPN+
Watson
L 1–4 4,135
0–1–0
October 13
7:00 pm
at Maine *
Alfond Arena • Orono, Maine ESPN+
Cherepak
L 3–6 5,143
0–2–0
October 20
7:00 pm
at #3 Boston College *
Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts ESPN+
Watson
L 1–6 5,802
0–3–0
October 21
7:00 pm
at #10 Providence *
Schneider Arena • Providence, Rhode Island ESPN+
Cherepak
L 2–4 2,026
0–4–0
November 3
7:00 pm
at Union
Achilles Rink • Schenectady, New York (Rivalry )ESPN+
Watson
W 8–6 1,979
1–4–0 (1–0–0)
November 4
7:00 pm
Union
Houston Field House • Troy, New York (Rivalry )ESPN+
Cherepak
L 1–5 3,250
1–5–0 (1–1–0)
November 10
7:00 pm
at Clarkson
Cheel Arena • Potsdam, New York (Rivalry )ESPN+
Cherepak
W 4–2 2,881
2–5–0 (2–1–0)
November 11
7:00 pm
at St. Lawrence
Appleton Arena • Canton, New York ESPN+
Cherepak
L 4–2 1,386
2–6–0 (2–2–0)
November 25
7:00 pm
Northeastern *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Cherepak
T 3–3 OT
1,930
2–6–1
November 26
7:00 pm
Northeastern *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Cherepak
L 2–9 1,856
2–7–1
December 1
7:00 pm
#5 Quinnipiac
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Cherepak
L 1–5 1,856
2–8–1 (2–3–0)
December 2
7:00 pm
Princeton
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Miller
L 4–6 2,241
2–9–1 (2–4–0)
December 9
4:00 pm
at #16 New Hampshire *
Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire ESPN+
Miller
L 0–1 5,299
2–10–1
December 15
7:00 pm
Minnesota State *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Miller
W 4–3 OT
1,477
3–10–1
December 16
7:00 pm
Minnesota State *
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Miller
L 2–4 1,635
3–11–1
December 29
3:00 pm
at Canisius *
LECOM Harborcenter • Buffalo, New York FloHockey
Watson
W 6–3 719
4–11–1
December 30
1:00 pm
at Canisius *
LECOM Harborcenter • Buffalo, New York FloHockey
Watson
W 2–1 735
5–11–1
January 5
7:00 pm
Yale
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Miller
L 1–2 1,677
5–12–1 (2–5–0)
January 6
7:00 pm
Brown
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
W 2–1 1,572
6–12–1 (3–5–0)
January 12
7:00 pm
St. Lawrence
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
W 6–3 1,600
7–12–1 (4–5–0)
January 13
7:00 pm
Clarkson
Houston Field House • Troy, New York (Rivalry )ESPN+
Watson
L 1–4 3,026
7–13–1 (4–6–0)
January 19
7:00 pm
at Harvard
Bright-Landry Hockey Center • Boston , Massachusetts ESPN+
Watson
L 3–6 1,905
7–14–1 (4–7–0)
January 20
7:00 pm
at Dartmouth
Thompson Arena • Hanover, New Hampshire ESPN+
Miller
L 2–6 1,578
7–15–1 (4–8–0)
January 27
6:00 pm
vs. Union *
MVP Arena • Albany, New York (Mayor's Cup )
Watson
L 3–5 5,698
7–16–1
February 2
7:00 pm
at Brown
Meehan Auditorium • Providence, Rhode Island ESPN+
Watson
W 3–1 679
8–16–1 (5–8–0)
February 3
7:00 pm
at Yale
Ingalls Rink • New Haven, Connecticut ESPN+
Watson
T 1–1 SOL
1,674
8–16–2 (5–8–1)
February 9
7:00 pm
#13 Cornell
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
L 1–4 2,317
8–17–2 (5–9–1)
February 10
7:00 pm
Colgate
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
T 5–5 SOL
4,290
8–17–3 (5–9–2)
February 16
7:00 pm
at Princeton
Hobey Baker Memorial Rink • Princeton, New Jersey ESPN+
Watson
W 4–3 1,098
9–17–3 (6–9–2)
February 17
7:00 pm
at #9 Quinnipiac
M&T Bank Arena • Hamden, Connecticut ESPN+
Watson
L 2–7 3,261
9–18–3 (6–10–2)
February 23
7:00 pm
Dartmouth
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
L 1–5 2,186
9–19–3 (6–11–2)
February 24
4:00 pm
Harvard
Houston Field House • Troy, New York ESPN+
Watson
T 2–2 SOL
2,465
9–19–4 (6–11–3)
March 1
7:00 pm
at Colgate
Class of 1965 Arena • Hamilton, New York ESPN+
Watson
L 2–6 908
9–20–4 (6–12–3)
March 2
7:00 pm
at #13 Cornell
Lynah Rink • Ithaca, New York ESPN+
Watson
L 1–3 3,723
9–21–4 (6–13–3)
ECAC Hockey Tournament
March 9
7:00 pm
Clarkson *
Cheel Arena • Potsdam, New York (First Round, Rivalry )ESPN+
Watson
W 3–2 2,834
10–21–4
March 15
7:00 pm
at #7 Quinnipiac *
M&T Bank Arena • Hamden, Connecticut (Quarterfinal Game 1)ESPN+
Watson
L 1–5 2,721
10–22–4
March 16
7:00 pm
at #7 Quinnipiac *
M&T Bank Arena • Hamden, Connecticut (Quarterfinal Game 2)ESPN+
Watson
L 2–5 2,909
10–23–4
*Non-conference game. # Rankings from USCHO.com Poll . All times are in Eastern Time . [ 3]
Scoring statistics
Name
Position
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
PIM
Austin Heidemann F 37
11
16
27 8
Sutter Muzzatti F 33
10
15
25 79
Tyler Hotson F 37
13
9
22 32
Ryan Brushett C 37
6
15
21 14
Dovar Tinling C 34
5
12
17 43
Jake Gagnon RW 30
8
6
14 8
Max Smolinski D 37
2
11
13 50
John Beaton C 32
4
8
12 2
Jakob Lee C 23
7
4
11 41
John Evans F 16
4
6
10 2
Jack Brackett F 33
1
8
9 4
Brad McNeil F 36
4
4
8 9
Lauri Sertti D 36
2
6
8 16
C. J. Regula D 29
2
5
7 22
Jack Agnew D 37
2
5
7 16
Nick Strom D 37
0
7
7 10
Jimmy Goffredo D 22
3
3
6 19
Danny Ciccarello F 25
4
1
5 6
Jérémie Payant C 19
2
2
4 10
Altti Nykänen F 7
1
3
4 0
Nick Ardanaz D 18
1
2
3 6
Lucas Matta D 32
1
1
2 12
Finn Brown LW 16
0
1
1 0
Nathan Sullivan F 21
0
1
1 10
Dylan Davies D /F 3
0
0
0 2
Brett Miller G 7
0
0
0 0
Carson Cherepak G 9
0
0
0 0
Brendan Budy LW 15
0
0
0 8
Jack Watson G 23
0
0
0 0
Total
95
152
247
429
[ 4]
Goaltending statistics
Name
Games
Minutes
Wins
Losses
Ties
Goals Against
Saves
Shut Outs
SV % GAA
Jack Watson 23
1351:41
8
12
3
81
681
0
.894
3.60
Brett Miller 7
397:00
1
5
0
25
198
0
.888
3.78
Carson Cherepak 9
473:53
1
6
1
34
242
0
.877
4.30
Empty Net
-
22:17
-
-
-
10
-
-
-
-
Total
37
2243:51
10
23
4
150
1121
0
.882
4.01
Rankings
Poll
Week
Pre
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 (Final)
USCHO.com
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
–
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
–
NR
USA Hockey
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
–
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
Note: USCHO did not release a poll in weeks 11 and 25. [ 5] Note: USA Hockey did not release a poll in week 12.
References
