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MHKY Big Red Freakout!




It all started on February 25, 1978. A standing room only crowd of 4,594 gathered in the Houston Field House for what was to be called the Big Red Freakout!.

The press release was sent out by the sports information director, Jim Greenidge, that all fans for the Saturday game against New Hampshire were urged to wear something red, bring noisemakers, enjoy free skating after the game, and enter the banner contest.

At the time the excitement was high for the Engineers, enjoying one of its best seasons since Jim Salfi had taken over the club. The team finished that year with a 19-9-1 record and a 13-8-0 ECAC record for a fourth place finish, the highest conference finish to that point in Rensselaer history.

Steve Stoyanovich was the star of the first game, scoring a hat trick and adding an assist as the Engineers defeated UNH, 6-5 in overtime. Stoyanovich scored the second, fourth and sixth RPI goals and assisted on the fifth while Ian Harrison turned back 50 shots. Appropriately, the Freakout! gift that year was an Engineer hat.

In 1983 a then-record crowd of 5,222 packed into the Field House as the Engineers rolled over St. Lawrence, 8-1. Mike Sadeghpour scored twice in the first period and Mark Jooris and Kraig Nienhuis each added two goals of their own. Marty Dallman and George Servinis scored once and added two assists in the game. 
According to the press release prior to that game, “the Freakout! is an orgy of school spirit with everyone wearing red and making as much noise as possible. To add to the fun, the Student Union purchased 3,500 stadium horns to be handed out as favors.”
 
The year 1987 was a turning point in the history of the Freakout!. The opponent was Brown and RPI jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first period. The Engineers went on to win the penalty-filled game, 8-3, but the reason for the turning point in the event did not occur on the ice. The favor for the Brown game was another stadium horn. The combination of those horns and the number of past favors brought to the game caused an incredible amount of noise that it had an effect on the outcome of the game. The NCAA stepped in and restricted the type of gift that could be given out.

Perhaps the most exciting game came in 2002 — the 25th Annual — when the Engineers came from behind to defeat arch-rival Clarkson, 4-3 in overtime. Trailing 3-0 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the third period, RPI fed off the sold out crowd to come all the way back for victory!
Throughout it all, the Freakout! has survived the test of time and endures today as the top event on the Rensselaer schedule each year. It is the toughest ticket to get in the area and should remain that way for as long as there is a Freakout!

Incidentally, RPI had an unbeaten streak in 17 Freakouts! (12-0-5) from 1990 to 2007, and is 18-8-5 all-time.

Year-By-Year Results

Rensselaer 6, New Hampshire 5 (OT)

February 25, 1978 (Hat)

Steve Stoyanovich scored a hat trick, including the game-winning goal with 1:12 remaining in the ten-minute overtime, and an assist before 4,954 fans. Ian Harrison stopped 50 shots, including 19 in the third period and seven in overtime, for the win.

Rensselaer 9, Boston College 7
February 24, 1979 (Pom-Pom)

The Engineers scored three times in the first period, twice in the second and four more in the third period in front of a crowd of 4,493. Loris Muzzatti had a hat trick, Steve Stoyanovich scored twice, and Ian Harrison finished with 29 saves.

New Hampshire 3, Rensselaer 2 (OT)

January 19, 1980 (Bell)

An injury-riddled RPI outshot UNH, 55-40, but the Engineers fell in overtime. John Emerson and Dave Stoyanovich scored for the home team while Kevin Constantine finished with 37 saves. Greg Moffett earned the win for New Hampshire.

Boston College 4, Rensselaer 1
February 21, 1981 (Rattle)

The Eagles outscored the Engineers 3-0 in the final period to break open a 1-1 tie in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,972. Larry Landon scored for RPI while Gerry Fink stopped 36 shots in defeat.

Cornell 7, Rensselaer 4
February 6, 1982 (Pennant & Cricket)

A crowd of 4,972 watched as the Big Red got two goals and two assists from Roy Kerling. RPI had four different goal scorers and Ken Hammond picked up two assists.

Rensselaer 8, St. Lawrence 1
February 12, 1983 (Horn)

RPI jumped on St. Lawrence early and often, never letting up. Mike Sadeghpour, Kraig Nienhuis, and Mark Jooris had two goals each to pace the attack.

Rensselaer 10, St. Lawrence 2
February 11, 1984 (Bell)

Marty Dallman scored three times, Kraig Nienhuis had two goals and an assist, and Mike Robinson scored once with two helpers as the Engineers romped in front of 5,456 Field House fans.

Rensselaer 8, Yale 2
February 9, 1985 (Applause Jaws)

Mark Jooris (2 goals, 3 assists), George Servinis (1 goal, 3 assists) and Adam Oates (1 goal, 2 assists), all collected multiple points as RPI won big for the third straight Freakout!. A record crowd of 5,506 also saw Daren Puppa stop 23 shots.

St. Lawrence 3, Rensselaer 0
February 1, 1986 (Megaphone)

Although the Engineers outshot St. Lawrence 42-29, they allowed three power play goals and lost.

 
Rensselaer 8, Brown 3
February 7, 1987 (Horn)

In a game that featured 39 penalties and 21 power plays, Chris Walsh scored twice and assisted on two others to lead Rensselaer, which went 5 for 10 with the man-advantage. Gavin Armstrong (30 saves) and Steve Duncan (2 saves) combined for the victory.

Clarkson 6, Rensselaer 5
January 30, 1988 (Towel)

Both teams scored three times in the first period and once in the second before Clarkson tallied the final two goals for the win. The game featured 26 penalties, including 14 on RPI.

Yale 5, Rensselaer 4
February 4, 1989 (Bandana)

A crowd of 5,219 saw the Bulldogs score twice in the third period for a come-from-behind victory. Rob Schena scored twice in the losing effort.

St. Lawrence 5, Rensselaer 4
January 27, 1990 (Pom-Pom)

RPI led 3-1 after the first period but the Engineers could not hold off the Saints, who scored the next four goals. Joe Day had two goals and two assists to lead the visitors.

Rensselaer 4, Brown 2
February 2, 1991 (Megaphone)

Four different players - Joe Juneau, Derek DeCosty, Bruce Coles, and Mickey LeBlanc - scored and Sean Kennedy stopped 22 shots in a come-from-behind victory.

Rensselaer 2, Vermont 2 (OT)
February 8, 1992 (Balloon)

Wayne Clarke scored both RPI goals, including the game-tying tally at 8:15 of the third period, and Neil Little made 24 saves for the Engineers. Christian Soucy stopped 31 shots for UVM.

Rensselaer 5, Brown 2
February 6, 1993 (Glove)

Xavier Majic and Brad Layzell led a balanced Rensselaer attack with a goal and two assists each. Neil Little stopped 28 of 30 shots as RPI went on to win in front of 5,217 fans.

Rensselaer 2, Vermont 2
February 12, 1994 (Rattle)

Forwards Wayne Clarke and Bryan Richardson gave RPI a 2-1 lead with a goal apiece before Vermont tied the game midway through the third period. Neil Little’s 40 saves kept the game deadlocked.

Rensselaer 6, Brown 1
February 25, 1995 (Bandana)

RPI tallied four goals in the first period on its way to victory. Adam Bartell had two goals and an assist, including the game-winner. Mike Tamburro and Tim Spadafore combined to stop 34 of 35 shots for the Engineers, who won their sixth straight Freakout! game.

Rensselaer 4, Princeton 1
March 2, 1996 (Megaphone)

Bryan Richardson, Jeff O’Connor, Matt Garver, and Jean-Francois Gosselin each scored and Mike Tamburro stopped 31 of 32 shots on goal in the only Freakout! ever played in March. 

Rensselaer 9, Brown 1
February 1, 1997 (Pom-Pom & Puck)

Eric Healey and Matt Garver tallied two goals and two assists apiece as the Engineers romped. RPI, which scored five second period goals, saw Joel Laing stop 40 shots and Anthony Pergolotti make one save in relief.

Rensselaer 3, Union 3 (OT)
January 31, 1998 (Foam Bat)

Forward Danny Riva scored twice and defenseman Bryan Tapper once for the Engineers, who outshot the Skating Dutchmen, 38-34. A crowd of 5,208 saw Scott Prekaski stop 31 shots in the tie.

Rensselaer 8, Dartmouth 3
February 20, 1999 (Flag)

Brad Tapper notched a hat trick, Keith Dupee scored twice and added an assist, Danny Riva had four helpers, and Matt Murley scored once with three assists to lead Rensselaer. The Engineers scored four times in each of the first two periods for the victory.

Rensselaer 2, Dartmouth 0
February 5, 2000 (Goalie Sign)

Joel Laing stopped 26 shots and Pete Gardiner and Steve Caley found the back of the net before a sold-out crowd of 5,156 fans.

Rensselaer 2, Vermont 2 (OT)
February 3, 2001 (Foam Stick)

Ryan Shields and Jim Henkel scored for the Engineers but the Catamounts fought back for a tie. Nathan Marsters, playing in his first-ever Big Red Freakout!, and Andrew Allen both made 32 saves in a game that featured playoff-like intensity.

Rensselaer 4, Clarkson 3 (OT)
February 9, 2002 (Puckman Beanie)

Trailing 3-0 with under 13 minutes left in the third period, the Engineers staged a remarkable comeback to win in overtime. Carson Butterwick’s second marker of the night was the game-winner.

Rensselaer 4, Brown 3 (OT)
February 8, 2003 (Thunderstick)

A Ryan Shields goal with eight seconds remaining in overtime gave RPI the win. Shields sent the puck from the right corner toward the front of the net, where it deflected off a Brown player and into the goal. Defenseman Scott Basiuk had two goals and Kevin Croxton tallied the other before a crowd of 5,070. Nathan Marsters finished with 18 saves for the victory.

Rensselaer 4, Clarkson 2
February 7, 2004 (Pennant)

Playing in front of the members of RPI’s 1954 National Championship Team, who were celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their title, the Engineers scored three goals in the third period for a come-from-behind victory. Four different players scored for Rensselaer, which got 29 saves from Nathan Marsters.

Rensselaer 3, Brown 2
February 12, 2005 (Foam Finger)

With the members of the 1985 National Championship Team in the crowd and a national television audience watching on CSTV, junior Kirk MacDonald scored with only 8.3 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Engineers a dramatic victory. Oren Eizenman and Nick Economakos also scored and Jake Luthi had two assists in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,152.

Rensselaer 4, Brown 2
February 11, 2006 (Foam Mask)

Rensselaer got goals from four different players and freshman Mathias Lange stopped 21 of 23 shots before a sold-out crowd of 5,317 at the Houston Field House. Sophomore Andrew Lord and junior Ryan Swanson both had a goal and an assist for the Engineers, who scored twice in the first period and once each in the second and third.

Rensselaer 3, St. Lawrence 3
January 20, 2007 (Ski Hat)

In the first Freakout! to be held in January since 1998, St. Lawrence scored two goals in 53 seconds late in the third period to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 3-3 tie in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,152. Junior Andrew Lord had a goal and an assist and sophomore Mathias Lange made 25 saves between the pipes for the Engineers, who scored once in each period.

Princeton 4, Rensselaer 0
February 2, 2008 (Baseball Cap)

Princeton scored three second period goals and netminder Zane Kalemba made 16 saves enroute to a 4-0 victory over RPI. Goalie Jordan Alford made 37 saves in the Engineers net. RPI’s loss was its first in the last 18 Big Red Freakouts!. The Engineers had been 12-0-5 in their previous 17.

Yale 4, Rensselaer 1
February 14, 2009 (T-Shirt)

Four different players tallied to lead Yale to a 4-1 win over Rensselaer. Down 2-0 in the second stanza, RPI pulled to within a goal on a by Alex Angers-Goulet, but the Bulldogs added two goals in the final period for the victory. Yale netminder Alec Richards made 15 saves to earn the victory, while Mathias Lange made 26 stops for the Engineers.

Princeton 7, Rensselaer 0
February 20, 2010 (Scarf)
Senior goaltender Zane Kalimba stopped all 41 shots he faced and six different players recorded goals as Princeton shutout Rensselaer, 7-0.  Freshman netminder Bryce Merriam made 25 saves before giving way to sophomore Joey Harkenrider with just over three minutes remaining in the game.
Rensselaer 5, Yale 2
January 29, 2011 (Fleece Gloves)
Junior Allen York made 38 saves and senior Chase Polacek had a goal and two assists as #10 Rensselaer defeated #1 Yale, 5-2, before a sold out crowd.  The Engineers grabbed an early 1-0 lead after the first period and held a 2-1 advantage after two frames before exploding for three goals in the final stanza enroute to victory. 
Colgate 8, Rensselaer 3
February 4, 2012 (Drawstring Backpack)
Austin Smith, the nation's leading scorer, scored four times to lead Colgate to an 8-3 victory over Rensselaer in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,780 in the 35th Annual event. Smith, scored once in the first period as the Raiders grabbed a 2-0 lead.  He added two goals in the second, both unassisted as Colgate went up 5-1 and once more in the third as the visitors tacked on another three goals. RPI saw senior Patrick Cullen, sophomore Guy Leboeuf and rookie Zach Schroeder score for the Engineers, who saw junior Bryce Merriam (18 saves) and rookie Scott Diebold (7 saves) combine for 25 stops on the night.
Rensselaer 3, Dartmouth 0
February 2, 2013 (Knit Cap)
Freshman Jason Kasdorf recorded his second shutout in as many nights as the Rensselaer defeated No.16 Dartmouth College 3-0 in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,820 in the 36th Annual event. Matt Tinordi, Mike Zalewski and Mark Miller all tallied goals for the Engineers while Kasdorf finished the night with 28 saves. Junior defenseman Guy Leboeuf chipped in with a pair of assists.