Today, I'm looking at Skating Engineers: Hockey at RPI, by Kurt Stutt.

RPI, or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is located in Troy, New York.

Hockey at RPI started with rather humble beginnings in 1903-04. They played one game, and won it. However, the 1911-12 season was the first to be played on campus, and while hockey was played throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s, after the season ended in 1938, hockey was abandoned due to problems maintaining the ice sheet.

Not to worry, hockey returned for the 1949-50 season, and eventually worked its way to among the best in the country, and even won the 1954 college hockey National Championship under coach Ned Harkness.

It was also around this time that 4 different Chiarelli family members played hockey for RPI. Dick and Frank played in the late 50s, Pat and cousin John played in the early 60s.

When Ned Harkness finally left RPI, Rube Bjorkman took over, and led the team to a 3^rd place finish and an 18-8 record. Unfortunately, he found recruiting difficult, and would leave after just the one year.

Success would find RPI again in the 1980s, though. Here are just a couple of the biggest names to come through the school's history.

Mike McPhee, a 6^th round pick by Montreal in 1980 would become the only RPI grad to get his name on the Stanley Cup.

Adam Oates would amass 1,420 points, 1,079 of those assists, in the NHL, build a name as a prolific passer, and eventually end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Currently, he is the head coach of the NHL's Washington Capitals.

Daren Puppa graduated in 1987, and was the 74^th overall pick by Buffalo in 1983. He would win an incredible 29 straight starts, and holds the RPI record for 3^rd highest total in career wins. His .879 winning percentage is a school record as well. He would eventually make it to the NHL, and retired in 2000.

All in all, RPI has had quite a bit of success on the ice, and their academic record is without question. From humble beginnings, the hockey program has proven that it will persevere throughout adversity and will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Special thanks to Arcadia Publishing for making this book available for reviewing purposes.

Link to Arcadia Publishing: http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/9780738536927/Skating-Engineers-Hockey-at-RPI

Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780738536927-0

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Skating-Engineers-Hockey-Images-Sports/dp/073853692X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374359359&sr=1-1&keywords=Skating+Engineers

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/skating-engineers-kurt-stutt/1112767142?ean=9780738536927