Lang says Engineers “need better players” after Blackout loss

The Engineers fell to the Garnet Chargers 3-0 in a total shutdown of Rensselaer’s offensive capabilities at home on Saturday. This return to form saw the Engineers take just 12 shots on goal, compared to Union’s 36. As Head Coach Eric Lang said after the game, “I think they just played harder than us. Like a lot harder.”

The night before saw Rensselaer tally a rare win in their books. The team pulled off a 5-2 victory over the Garnet Chargers, coming in with a 4-0-1 record, and started off their run against ECAC teams with a victory. Forward Ethan Bono scored his first two goals as an Engineer in the game, and standout freshman goalkeeper Nate Krawchuk held down the net with 45 saves in goal. The team was able to gain the upper hand against a Union team unfamiliar with Lang’s strategy on the ice and catch them off guard.

The same could not be said for the Blackout game back home in Houston. The Garnet Chargers opened up the game with a vengeance, taking control of the puck and drilling Rensselaer’s Krawchuk without respite. They eventually found an opening at the twelve-minute mark when the Engineers were unable to clear a puck from the crease, bringing the first period to a 1-0 game in the Garnet Chargers’ favor.

The Engineers ultimately did not rise to challenge, taking just four shots in both the second and third periods. Union eventually snatched another goal in the third period, capitalizing on characteristically lethargic Engineer defense. A final goal on an empty net saw Union walk off with a final 3-0 victory.

Lang expressed great disappointment with the loss after the game and showed little confidence in the team’s continued improvement. Major penalties garnered by the likes of Jimmy Goffredo in this game and Luciano Wilson in the one on Friday are just one of several issues that are holding the team back and letting down fans in the Houston Field House, according to Lang. The coaching staff is attempting to respond to these problems with a swift hand by taking away playing time for players. Lang believes that retaliatory solutions such as these will be necessary for players for both the rest of this season and the next two as he tries to rebuild the entire program from scratch.

For now, it seems that Lang has given up on taking anything away from this season but a mediocre record and mild contempt from fans. “I think the long term is we need better players,” Lang stated in regards to the team’s goals moving forward. “A lot of our wins have to come on the road, in our recruiting battles,” he said. Lang's comments are notable given that 20 of the 28 players currently on the roster are already new to the team. Given this lack of vigor, it seems that this year of RPI hockey may be a bust.

After the weekend, Rensselaer has a 1-1-0 record in the conference and a 1-7-0 record overall. Their next games will be against St. Lawrence on Friday, November 7 and Clarkson on Saturday, November 8 at home. The box score for this game can be found here.