Lake Placid-2024

[ursusminor]

Just get into the rink, and figure it out from there.

This.  The weekend is going to be 90% Q and Cornell fans.  The Q fans are going to leave after their game to either celebrate or slink back to Toilet-on-the-Connecticut.

We will have a half empty building to ourselves.

Advice: if you come without tickets get there early because LP has yet to get their shit together at the walkup office, and the lines get long. You'll get in but you don't want to miss the whole first period.

Curious, doesn't SLU travel well?  Such a short drive?  I would hope they would. Can't wait for Friday night! LGR!!

if everyone in canton goes, they could fill as many as two sections

You're joking right? You all do realize that the 2 biggest draws in Lake Placid always have been SLU and Clarkson? It's actually not even close. I read the comment the other day about the "90% Q and Cornell fans" and chuckled. It's only an hour and a half from Canton to Lake Placid and, every time we play there, roughly half of the attendees are SLU fans. So, just letting you know, yes there will be plenty of SLU fans there.

This is simply not true.  I've been to every Lake Placid ECACs and the SLU presence is never significant.  They are great fans and they travel well, but their pool is just too small.  Every SLU fan is an outstanding fan, and Canton gives it everything they have, and I have spent many an evening and many a beer hanging out with them, but they do not have numbers.

Heavy: Cornell, Clarkson, extremely annoyingly Quinnipiac, once upon a time Vermont

Medium: Union, RPI

Small: Colgate, St. Lawrence, Dartmouth

Nearly Zero: Brown, Princeton, Yale even when they were good, Harvard

I really don't mean to be rude, but if you actually think that Quinnipiac has a heavy travel presence in Lake Placid and that Union or RPI bring more fans than SLU then you just plain and simply do not know what you are talking about. I've been going to each and every ECAC tournament since the first go around in Lake Placid back in the 90's, the Atlantic City days, the Albany days etc and SLU and Clarkson and Cornell are the big draws to Lake Placid. Always have been. SLU has made it twice to Lake Placid (since its return) back in 2015 and 2016 and it was partisan, significantly partisan SLU fans compared to the other teams. There were even articles in the local papers commenting on "the significantly partisan SLU turnout" at the time. When SLU/Clarkson met in the Championship game back in 1999 it was a complete sellout (8,200) and about a 50/50 split between fans. It's always been this way and it's pretty much common knowledge (or so I thought it was) that the North Country teams are the big draws for Placid. That's why there have been numerous non-conference games played between SLU and Clarkson at Lake Placid. Not SLU or Clarkson vs Quinnipiac or Union or RPI, SLU vs. Clarkson because that is the big draw there. I don't know what else to say other than that.

RPI has played a midesason, nonconference game vs. Clarkson in LP (1/7/17), also twice vs. Union (I think as part of doubleheaders).

[newco113]

Just get into the rink, and figure it out from there.

This.  The weekend is going to be 90% Q and Cornell fans.  The Q fans are going to leave after their game to either celebrate or slink back to Toilet-on-the-Connecticut.

We will have a half empty building to ourselves.

Advice: if you come without tickets get there early because LP has yet to get their shit together at the walkup office, and the lines get long. You'll get in but you don't want to miss the whole first period.

Curious, doesn't SLU travel well?  Such a short drive?  I would hope they would. Can't wait for Friday night! LGR!!

if everyone in canton goes, they could fill as many as two sections

You're joking right? You all do realize that the 2 biggest draws in Lake Placid always have been SLU and Clarkson? It's actually not even close. I read the comment the other day about the "90% Q and Cornell fans" and chuckled. It's only an hour and a half from Canton to Lake Placid and, every time we play there, roughly half of the attendees are SLU fans. So, just letting you know, yes there will be plenty of SLU fans there.

This is simply not true.  I've been to every Lake Placid ECACs and the SLU presence is never significant.  They are great fans and they travel well, but their pool is just too small.  Every SLU fan is an outstanding fan, and Canton gives it everything they have, and I have spent many an evening and many a beer hanging out with them, but they do not have numbers.

Heavy: Cornell, Clarkson, extremely annoyingly Quinnipiac, once upon a time Vermont

Medium: Union, RPI

Small: Colgate, St. Lawrence, Dartmouth

Nearly Zero: Brown, Princeton, Yale even when they were good, Harvard

I really don't mean to be rude, but if you actually think that Quinnipiac has a heavy travel presence in Lake Placid and that Union or RPI bring more fans than SLU then you just plain and simply do not know what you are talking about. I've been going to each and every ECAC tournament since the first go around in Lake Placid back in the 90's, the Atlantic City days, the Albany days etc and SLU and Clarkson and Cornell are the big draws to Lake Placid. Always have been. SLU has made it twice to Lake Placid (since its return) back in 2015 and 2016 and it was partisan, significantly partisan SLU fans compared to the other teams. There were even articles in the local papers commenting on "the significantly partisan SLU turnout" at the time. When SLU/Clarkson met in the Championship game back in 1999 it was a complete sellout (8,200) and about a 50/50 split between fans. It's always been this way and it's pretty much common knowledge (or so I thought it was) that the North Country teams are the big draws for Placid. That's why there have been numerous non-conference games played between SLU and Clarkson at Lake Placid. Not SLU or Clarkson vs Quinnipiac or Union or RPI, SLU vs. Clarkson because that is the big draw there. I don't know what else to say other than that.

RPI has played a midesason, nonconference game vs. Clarkson in LP (1/7/17), also twice vs. Union (I think as part of doubleheaders).

I actually forgot about that Clarkson/RPI game. The Union/RPI games were back in 2010-2011 for the first 2 years of the Halloween Faceoff that they used to do. It was double header with the Union/RPI game first and the SLU/Clarkson game second. I was at both games. Vaguely remember them. The Clarkson/RPI game had an attendance figure of 2,300 compared to the 5,500 listed for SLU/Clarkson games in Lake Placid back in 2013.

[Scersk '97]

I, for one, would welcome a field of SLU, Clarkson, RPI, and us. Much prefer SLU and RPI to Harvard.

Would be rockin'. Considering how bad RPI has been, I start to wonder when it will ever happen again.

[billhoward]

I got tickets in the Quinnipiac section, section 24, kittycorner across from the Cornell section (11), because it has the most seats up high, it is the end Cornell attacks period 1 and 3, and in part because I love the irony of a school's broadcast journalism school being named (in part) to honor Ed McMahon (think Jimmy Kimmel's Guillermo). Most of the Q partisans will have decamped to watering holes along Main Street. The St. Lawrence section in the corner near Q, have fewer seats left.

Virtually every seat on the sides not corners is shown as being taken as of Wednesday. That's fabulous for LP tourism and their economy. If it's accurate. Last year's Friday night session drew 3533, half full, and the championship game drew about 1500.

[newco113]

I got tickets in the Quinnipiac section, section 24, kittycorner across from the Cornell section (11), because it has the most seats up high, it is the end Cornell attacks period 1 and 3, and in part because I love the irony of a school's broadcast journalism school being named (in part) to honor Ed McMahon (think Jimmy Kimmel's Guillermo). Most of the Q partisans will have decamped to watering holes along Main Street. The St. Lawrence section in the corner near Q, have fewer seats left.

Virtually every seat on the sides not corners is shown as being taken as of Wednesday. That's fabulous for LP tourism and their economy. If it's accurate. Last year's Friday night session drew 3533, half full, and the championship game drew about 1500.

The championship game attendance last year was actually 3,839.

[Jim Hyla]

I got tickets in the Quinnipiac section, section 24, kittycorner across from the Cornell section (11), because it has the most seats up high, it is the end Cornell attacks period 1 and 3, and in part because I love the irony of a school's broadcast journalism school being named (in part) to honor Ed McMahon (think Jimmy Kimmel's Guillermo). Most of the Q partisans will have decamped to watering holes along Main Street. The St. Lawrence section in the corner near Q, have fewer seats left.

Virtually every seat on the sides not corners is shown as being taken as of Wednesday. That's fabulous for LP tourism and their economy. If it's accurate. Last year's Friday night session drew 3533, half full, and the championship game drew about 1500.

The championship game attendance last year was actually 3,839.

I don't know, but maybe Bill was referring to the number of people who showed up in the stands and not tickets sold.

[billhoward]

Correct, the ECAC site box score has it as 3839, or 49.9% full in a 7700-seat arena, for Colgate's 3-2 win over Harvard a year ago in Placid. I never know if the site publishes tickets sold for the game or people who actually come in.

I'm buying the two-game package but if Cornell loses Friday (unthinkable), we would not perhaps show Saturday, it being a multiple-of-ten anniversary for us. At a place like MSG the vendors certainly want to know how many people actually walked in the door.

I know the image is big, but when there's a Big red C that says 3 and the red H says 2, well, it deserves repeating.

[adamw]

Correct, the ECAC site box score has it as 3839, or 49.9% full in a 7700-seat arena, for Colgate's 3-2 win over Harvard a year ago in Placid. I never know if the site publishes tickets sold for the game or people who actually come in.

I don't know any venue on the planet anymore that counts people who come in. It's always tickets sold.

[billhoward]

Here's what to do in Lake Placid this weekend with Cornell in the ECACs. Before you go: Bring a pair of snow brushes and extra windshield washer fluid. Will not reach 30 all weekend. Snowy Saturday, 5"-8", Lake Placid can handle it no problem.

For visitors, Lake Placid is effectively one street wide, a half mile long: Main Street, the greenish line. (the map points north.) The LP Olympic Center and 7700 seat Herb Brooks Arena marks the southern end of downtown, the yellow circle. Just below the circle is the Olympic speed skating oval and LP HS. Where it says "~parking," that's about where you'll be pushed to park, it's not that far, I don't believe they charge, everybody is friendly because Nobody Gets Rich Working in Lake Placid. Don't yell at them and tip well. Gwen's family has been there since circa 1850 and one relative said the only good jobs in ADK are teacher, snow plow operator and now prison guard.

Most every place to eat is casual and the food is okay. I recommend (walking directions are relative to the rink):
* Best sports bar that holds a crowd, Wise Guys, Main and School Street, just south of the rink/speed skating oval. Lots of TVs in case you want to watch basketball. I've seen the refs there after the game. Be nice.
* Best breakfast, Downtown Diner, ran into Andy Iles' family there a decade ago. 2-3 blocks south of where the skating oval ends.
* Best brew pub, Lake Placid Brew Pub. Walk south 2/3 of the way toward the end of the skating oval, left at the Mobile station onto Mirror Lake Drive, walk one block plus, just before the Hampton Inn. Pretty decent food.
* Best sandwich shop, Big Mountain Deli & Creperie,  2475 Main St, about halfway up Main Street on the right (Mirror Lake) side. Go for lunch or breakfast; closes 3 pm.
* Best sandwich shop (need a car), Saranac Sourdough, 2126 Saranac Ave # 1. At the top of Mains Street, curve left onto Saranac Ave., 6/10 mile on the left. 'til 2 pm, noon Sundays. Run by people who are kin to the alt / sixties / Moosewood-of-Ithaca style, but they do serve sandwiches with meat. Love the place.
* Best (only) big hotel sports bar / pub, Dancing Bears at the High Peaks Resort (nee Hilton for the 1980 Games). Friendly, food is okay to good, holds a lot of people, service was variable last summer (harder to get guest worker visas last couple years) and understaffed at times.
* Live music: Smoke Signals and Zig Zags Pub, both halfway up Main street on the lake side.

A lot of restaurants have changed hands in the past decade, new ones take their place, more Asian fare now. I've never had a terrible meal in LP, relative to price.

If for some reason you need winter gear (like it's colder than you think, or you forgot gloves), EMS on Main Street has people who know their stuff.

As of two years ago, LP Rink let you get a hand stamp and walk out between games, get a drink and burger, see some of the basketball tournament, wander back in. I don't believe MSG  lets you do that; instead they put up the facial recognition cams.

Need something else to do? There are a couple small distilleries to tour and taste. Our favorite is Gristmiller Distillers in Keene, 20 minutes southwest of LP on Route 73. Plus small breweries.

[billhoward]

Correct, the ECAC site box score has it as 3839, or 49.9% full in a 7700-seat arena, for Colgate's 3-2 win over Harvard a year ago in Placid. I never know if the site publishes tickets sold for the game or people who actually come in.

I don't know any venue on the planet anymore that counts people who come in. It's always tickets sold.

Imagine perfect world if only for a moment, all information available and distributed. So the smallest T-shirt vendor inside MSG has the same information as the Dolan family and determines the low clothing revenues from the tractor-pull-in-MSG-mudpile event was from low attendance relative to ticket sales on a snowy day, versus it being a cheap-ass crowd. It is not going to happen, but it'd be nice.

In Lake Placid, it would be possible to see, and know, what fraction of fans came in for the first game, for the second, and possibly how many first-game attendees left then came back. Add that to all the closed-circuit cams at the entry/exit gates, and they'd know how many game 1 attendees left but didn't return.

In case anyone cared. I care mostly about seeing Lord Stanley's Cup brought back to the ECAC tourney. A lot of kids loved seeing that thing. Me too. It was history up close. I believe it was the year the Miracle on Ice guys came back to LP and they did a Main Street pub crawl to say hi to fans the afternoon of the finals. Geez, those guys, in their 40s, seemed so, ah, normal. Sadly, not all of them are still with us.

Fan cams (of a sort) at MSG, Red Hot Hockey 2023:

[RichH]

Correct, the ECAC site box score has it as 3839, or 49.9% full in a 7700-seat arena, for Colgate's 3-2 win over Harvard a year ago in Placid. I never know if the site publishes tickets sold for the game or people who actually come in.

I don't know any venue on the planet anymore that counts people who come in. It's always tickets sold.

Imagine perfect world if only for a moment, all information available and distributed. So the smallest T-shirt vendor inside MSG has the same information as the Dolan family and determines the low clothing revenues from the tractor-pull-in-MSG-mudpile event was from low attendance relative to ticket sales on a snowy day, versus it being a cheap-ass crowd. It is not going to happen, but it'd be nice.

In Lake Placid, it would be possible to see, and know, what fraction of fans came in for the first game, for the second, and possibly how many first-game attendees left then came back. Add that to all the closed-circuit cams at the entry/exit gates, and they'd know how many game 1 attendees left but didn't return.

In case anyone cared. I care mostly about seeing Lord Stanley's Cup brought back to the ECAC tourney. A lot of kids loved seeing that thing. Me too. It was history up close. I believe it was the year the Miracle on Ice guys came back to LP and they did a Main Street pub crawl to say hi to fans the afternoon of the finals. Geez, those guys, in their 40s, seemed so, ah, normal. Sadly, not all of them are still with us.

Fan cams (of a sort) at MSG, Red Hot Hockey 2023:

For me, "perfect world" doesn't involve anything you just described: extreme tracking of everything, every single bit of consumer datum being analyzed and optimized for max profit, or even queues for metal detectors and cameras everywhere in our Security Theater world and I can't even walk into a drug store to buy gum without being presented with some survey. Also my lawn sure has a lot of kids on it.

How about putting on a good, entertaining event and selling tickets to those who want it? Build it/people come, yadda etc.

(I assume Trotsky has started roadtripping North, so someone has to stand in.)

[billhoward]

Sorry, I switched to an LG Gram (<3 pounds, 17-inch screen) and as part of the weight-reduction project, they removed the irony font. My bad.

I was thinking of the little guy getting the same information as the big guy. Like how Toyota shared most all its factory production data with suppliers so they could make parts ever better. Savvy corporations, at least in books about business innovation, move data down from the corporate suite to make for a leaner, more customer-facing business. [Aside: More than a few freshman hockey players are in the Johnson School.]

Against that, you note, People Have No Privacy when cameras watch us everywhere. I believe Scott McNealy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems in the 1980s, was asked about this and said, "Face it, you have no privacy." Man ahead of his times. I see the NJ State Police are installing license plate readers on bridges into NJ from Delaware so the gov't has an idea on which cares enter and exit NJ. The Star-Ledger (initial at least) story did not ask about right to privacy. But if they had, the ready reply would be, "Driving is a privilege, not a right."

[Trotsky]

I don't know any venue on the planet anymore that counts people who come in. It's always tickets sold.

The Mets used to do both: tickets and turnstile.  They stopped when MLB threatened them.

[cth95]

Thank you for the great info.  
Don't forget skiing at Whiteface during the day.  With the snow predicted this weekend, take advantage of it.
I don't know if any practice or events are going on, but the ski jumps and Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the location for the bobsled and luge tracks and cross country ski trails, are all just east of town on Rte 73.
Along with the big mountains, there are also many shorter and easier trails to hike, get some fresh air, and get a taste of the Adirondacks.
The parking lots in town have kiosks to pay.
Lake Placid is a great place.  I live 1 1/2 hrs away in VT and go to LP fairly frequently.

[Swampy]

St. Lawrence definitely helps attendance in Lake Placid. Clarkson a bit more.

Code Select Expand


Clarkson        3700 students
St. Lawrence    2200 students
The best possible ECAC-in-Placid turnout would be Cornell, Clarkson, St. Lawrence and, um, pick one, maybe RPI.  It is about 80 miles from Clarkson (+5 for St Lawrence) to Lake Placid but it is dark (well, yeah), twisty road that is not well-striped. Read: It's not that far but it's a bitch of drive home. With the clout of Congresswoman Stefanik in much of the Adirondacks, it's surprising there isn't funding for more highway improvements.

She's too busy impeaching Biden and getting university presidents fired to spend much time and attention to something as mundane as roads.