Brown vs. RPI, 12/4/10

George V. Meehan Auditorium

When trying to figure out the schedule for which Saturday game I would go to, I saw Brown and Providence College playing at 4 and 7 respectively and decided to have a 2 game trip. I got in the car and headed up to Providence without even thinking I had been in Boston earlier in the week, New Jersey the day before, now Providence on Saturday. Yes, I am undoubtedly hooked.

Meehan Auditorium holds 3,059 spectators, has good sightlines, and an aesthetically pleasing doomed roof. George Meehan was the arena's main benefactor and hoped it would service and promote the Brown Bears hockey program, which became the first school with a Women's hockey team in 1964. The building underwent a $4.3 million renovation in 2002 that included new locker rooms, increased capacity, and new dasher boards. The place looks great.

I arrived in College Hill about half an hour before game time. I had been to Meehan before, but not in years. When I got to my seat, my eye was immediately attracted to the doomed roof. Almost an identical twin to the Pittsburgh Penguins old Mellon Arena (the Igloo). Coincidentally the two were opened in the same year, 1961.

Brown Captain Harry Zolnierczyk '11

There were corporate sponsors everywhere. The boards were covered, the program was basically an advertising catalogue. To be fair, it was free. This did not ruin the experience in any way, if you have been to Meehan you know its quite a remarkable building to sit in. But it was just something I noticed.

The Brown band came to the game and played the Canadian national anthem. Its American counterpart was sung by a Brown music student. Finally, it was time to drop the puck. 

RPI defenseman Guy Leboeuf '14

Brown came out flying, perhaps too aggressive and took a couple penalties. RPI hit pay dirt first a little over midway through the 1st period, Tyler Helfrich '11 scoring on the Power Play. At the 5:11 mark of the 2nd period and 3 goals later, Brown goalie Mike Clemente '12 was yanked in favor of Anthony Borelli '13. Clemente wasn't playing poorly, RPI seemed to strike when you would least expect it. Brown was playing better, taking more shots, just not scoring. The switch seemed to turn around the Bears fortunes with Jack Maclellan '12 putting Brown on the board at 8:38 of the 2nd. 

Brown goalie Mike Clemente '12 was pulled in the 2nd.

Brown junior Mike Wolff cut the Engineers lead to 2 when he scored at 2:33 of the 3rd frame. The momentum from then on was all Brown. The Bears assaulted RPI with 18 shots in the final period but could never beat goalie Allen York '12. Late goals by Greg Burgdoerfer '13 and Pat Koudys '14 sealed Brown's fate. RPI wins 6-2. 

RPI leading scorer Chase Polacek '11

The scoreboard showed an RPI victory, yet they were not the better team today. Brown outplayed them, had more shots, and controlled the tempo of the game. But when you least expected it, the Engineers would score, slowly building their lead. Those are sometimes the most dangerous teams, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Who knew a team with an anthropomorphized puck as their mascot could be capable? 

CPF