Union-RPI 2009 Thanksgiving Classic

I tried my best to find a video of a Turkey playing hockey while wearing an ECAC Hockey's team jersey, but couldn't find one. So, here's the best I could've done:

These videos are from one of the craziest games I've ever seen. It took place in the 2009 RPI Holiday Tournament.

The Dutchmen earned a bid to the championship game vs. RPI after beating Lake Superior State in a shootout (game finished 0-0) the night before. Union took an early 3-0 lead in the contest with three first period goals. But, the host team fought back to cut Union's lead to 4-3 with about three minutes left in regulation. A Dutchmen player then took a penalty with 30 seconds to play, putting RPI on the power-play. Coach Appert then proceeded to pull the goaltender for a 6-on-4 advantage.

Then, a miracle happened:


But, then all of a sudden, it became a disaster for the Engineers:



Now wasn't that exciting! [Full Box Score]


Hope everyone out there has a great Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Video of the Week: Cornell-Harvard at Lynah

The Harvard game is the most anticipated game of the year for Cornell students and fans. Not only is it a rivalry game, but the Lynah Faithful get to have a lot of fun tormenting the Crimson. Anything from swearing to throwing things on the ice goes at Lynah, which makes it a tough place to play for any opponent, but especially Harvard.

The Crimson travel to Ithaca this weekend. I hope they're ready for this...

 
 Also, check out WAFT's rivalry video:

Video of the Week: Feature on former Yale player Danny Otto

This is such a great, but sad story. The great part is that this guy was able to fight back from two major injuries to play a few games and score a few goals, but sadly it the dream ended due to a concussion. Most importantly though, he received an education from Yale.


 

Video: Route 7 Rivalry

Check out this great video highlighting the Route 7 Rivalry from Union's perspective (RPI fans will probably not like this).

The video was made by Union's video coordinator Phil Cohn. Click here to see more of this awesome work.

Video of the Week: Union-RPI Rivalry

The Dutchmen and Engineers renew the Route 7 Rivalry this weekend with Friday's game in Troy and Saturday's game in Schenectady. While Union has had the upper-hand recently, each game has been extremely close and hostile. Having attended many of these recent matchups, it is obvious that the two teams and their fans don't like each other. Many feel that this rivalry is currently the best in the ECAC and one of the most hostile in Eastern college hockey.

This video is from last year's ECAC Quarterfinal matchup between the two teams, and features beat writers, coaches, and players from both sides.

 

Video of the Week: Heart Of A Champion - The Tom Cavanagh Story

I know this is a long video, but it's well worth it. I sat through all 19 minutes of it and enjoyed every second.

The video documents the great life of former Harvard standout Tom Cavanagh. In his four years (2001-2005) with the Crimson, Cavanagh didn't miss one game, which is an incredible feat. In his 138 games at Harvard, he accumulated 117 points. He lead Harvard in scoring in his final two seasons in Cambridge.

The Warwick, Rhode Island native was also drafted by the San Jose Sharks and later became the Worcester Sharks' (AHL) all-time leading scorer. Cavanagh played 18 games with the big club and tallied one goal and two assists.

Unfortunately, Tom's life was cut short last year. From what it seems, he was a great hockey player but an even better individual.



Click here to learn more about the Thomas Cavanagh Memorial Fund.

Video of the Week: Union College Hockey - The Dream Season

I know last season is done with, but I thought this was a cool documentary on Union's great 2011-12 campaign. Even though the Dutchmen didn't get off to a good start this past weekend, they hope to build on last season's success.

Video Of The Week: Jordan Samuels-Thomas fights Michael Sdao

This video is a battle between two monsters, who are now both playing in the ECAC. Jordan Samuels-Thomas (6'2" - 190lbs) and Michael Sdao (6'4" - 220lbs) square off here in a junior game between JST's Waterloo Blackhawks and Sdao's Lincoln Stars.

JST is a newcomer to the league, having transferred from Bowling Green last year (he had to sit out the season due to NCAA rules) to Quinnipiac. In his two years in BG, he led the Falcons in scoring both times. But, he has decided to return to his home state of Connecticut to finish up his final two years of eligibility. This pickup by the Bobcats could end up being one of the more under the radar moves of the year.

Personally, I think Sdao won the fight. He is huge, but he's now known more for his offensive skills. Sdao has led all Princeton defensemen in scoring in two out of his three years. The Colorado native is an assistant captain in his final season as a Tiger, so look for him to have his best season yet.

Enjoy the fight. Ding!