Game Time at the Morgue (RPI)

First, a reminder for those planning travel that the Saturday game @ RPI is at an oddball time of 3:30 pm, so some fans won't have much time to waste spend at Crossgates Mall.

Second, I see, from the blog links below that Houston has gotten quite the renovation since we last visited. Most interesting to me are the addition of windows over the main entrance. Since this is an early game, and the windows are on the western wall, does this mean there's a chance we could have sun streaming onto the ice? I'll let someone else make a "the sun never shines in Troy" remark.

To those Houston regulars (marty?) who have seen the renovations, is there any major seating changes or other interesting things we should look for/expect?

[www.withoutapeer.com]
[www.withoutapeer.com]
[www.withoutapeer.com]

The only true improvement was the addition of a scoreboard with a nice video screen. It was used for some replays during the past couple of games. There is a design issue that makes some of the most potentially interesting replays unavailable. The penalty clock is displayed via use of the entire screen . So there are never replays of penalties.

The box seat area is above and behind the west goal (where the old bleachers once sat). There are four or five nice boxes. Their use has been minimal thusfar.

There has been only one afternoon game with the new windows in place. There was no sun issue.

The biggest pain has been very crappy concession areas. Hopefully these are temporary. The project was inexplicably scheduled to finish in January. Maybe January 2012.

I forgot that the lighting was improved significantly. This was in fact a bigger improvement than the video display.

Marty,

It looks like Sec. 1 has been replaced by the new box seats...Where are visiting team fans now being put?

I think that visitors are in 19-21 and 10. The latter is opposite the RPI band who sit in 13. 10 is in the southeast near the visitors' locker room and usually is occupied by visiting bands. 19-21 sections are northwest next to the now defunct section1.

The crappy seats have not been replaced. Maybe they are planning replacement in 2014 after the concession stand is finished. I actually have no problem with the stock wooden seats. There is premium seating near center ice with nicer padded seats. They are old and should be replaced.

P.S. There have been few opposing fans this year in Troy. Union did fine traveling the half block from Schenectady. The only other team whose fans I remember this year was Clarkson.

redice
Marty,

It looks like Sec. 1 has been replaced by the new box seats...Where are visiting team fans now being put?

We aren't at the end anymore? Another tradition (not necessarily a good one) gone.

I remember Houston as having an awkward safety netting configuration that exposed a lot of people in the wings to stray slap shots. Also IIRC it had (still has?) a moat-like chasm between the boards and the start of seating, and you felt like you were in the next county.

Great building when it's full and rocking, but a zeppelin hangar when it's quiet.

Trotsky

redice
Marty,

It looks like Sec. 1 has been replaced by the new box seats...Where are visiting team fans now being put?

We aren't at the end anymore? Another tradition (not necessarily a good one) gone.

I remember Houston as having an awkward safety netting configuration that exposed a lot of people in the wings to stray slap shots. Also IIRC it had (still has?) a moat-like chasm between the boards and the start of seating, and you felt like you were in the next county.

Great building when it's full and rocking, but a zeppelin hangar when it's quiet.

A *zeppelin* hangar? Is that also where they keep the autogyros, Mr. Burns?

Trotsky

redice
Marty,

It looks like Sec. 1 has been replaced by the new box seats...Where are visiting team fans now being put?

We aren't at the end anymore? Another tradition (not necessarily a good one) gone.

I remember Houston as having an awkward safety netting configuration that exposed a lot of people in the wings to stray slap shots. Also IIRC it had (still has?) a moat-like chasm between the boards and the start of seating, and you felt like you were in the next county.

Great building when it's full and rocking, but a zeppelin hangar when it's quiet.

[www.augenblick.org] "Contrary to popular belief, it was not a former airplane hangar. The Houston Field House began life as a Navy warehouse in Davisville, Rhode Island."

Indeed, Section 1, where visiting fans sat in recent decades, no longer resists. Also the stage at the other end of the ice, where RPI's band played, is no longer there, but conceivably could eventually return. The band is now in the student side of the HFH.

Ursus- you contest "Zepplin Hangar" but not "Morgue?"

The walkway between Row 1 and the glass is a promenade: great place to see and be seen if you consider hockey a social event. But it sure does kill the beauty of being in the first couple rows when there's action along the boards in front of you.

RPI and Union have two of the most unique arenas around (Bright is the opposite) and it's fun to go there once in a while.

Boy, the threads on USCHO for RPI and Union are so full of self-congratulatory stuff they hardly mention their thoughts about playing us this weekend. As I write this there's ONE post in the RPI thread and none in the Union thread. You'd think, after sending Union home for the season last year, and being about 27 games ahead in the RPI series that these two Top 10 teams would be smaking their lips over playing little ole "Also Receiving Votes" us. Maybe we can sneak up on 'em. I wish we were playing RPI first.

York is reported out with
a concussion this weekend. Merriam will be in goal both nights for RPI. Story in Record and note in Times Union.

marty
York is reported out with
a concussion this weekend. Merriam will be in goal both nights for RPI. Story in Record and note in Times Union.

Troy Record article here.

TimV
Boy, the threads on USCHO for RPI and Union are so full of self-congratulatory stuff they hardly mention their thoughts about playing us this weekend. As I write this there's ONE post in the RPI thread and none in the Union thread. You'd think, after sending Union home for the season last year, and being about 27 games ahead in the RPI series that these two Top 10 teams would be smaking their lips over playing little ole "Also Receiving Votes" us. Maybe we can sneak up on 'em. I wish we were playing RPI first.

I don't think the players and coaches are posting there.

Cornell never sneaks up on anybody.

TimV
Ursus- you contest "Zepplin Hangar" but not "Morgue?"

One is a fact; the other is an opinion.

TimV
Boy, the threads on USCHO for RPI and Union are so full of self-congratulatory stuff they hardly mention their thoughts about playing us this weekend. As I write this there's ONE post in the RPI thread and none in the Union thread. You'd think, after sending Union home for the season last year, and being about 27 games ahead in the RPI series that these two Top 10 teams would be smaking their lips over playing little ole "Also Receiving Votes" us. Maybe we can sneak up on 'em. I wish we were playing RPI first.

Separate thread [board.uscho.com])

Thanks Ursus. I feel better now. Or maybe worse...