Thank you for the memories.

The last time I saw an RPI hockey game at the Houston Field House was December 1991. 14 years later, I came back to a great hockey weekend. On Friday, I attended my first Black Friday, a great idea from Mr. Ken Ralph. A few weeks earlier, I saw pictures of the tournament banners in the Field House and saw Adam Oates’ up there. No surprise there as he deserved to be the first one up there. At the same time, I wondered, what would it take to have Joe Juneau up there as well? I got my answer during Black Friday. Juneau was next, and I was going to witness that. The ceremony on Saturday also brought back Tony Hejna, a factor in RPI going to the ECAC tournament in 1990; Bruce Coles—after all these years, many in the audience still went “Bruuuuuuuce”—Chris Walsh; Graeme Townshend; and former Coach Buddy Powers. Wow, what a homecoming!

The Field House looks the same and there were familiar names on the ice. It didn’t feel like 14 years later. I’m coming back for more hockey at the Bank of America Tournament. I encourage everyone to support the women’s hockey team, too. We need more people at their games, which are free!

I can’t wait for more of the Pep Band’s “Hail, dear old Rensselaer…”

LCDR Orlando Gallardo, Jr., USNR