9.                                22417 Mark Lachapelle (RMC ’02) chatting it up before the ‘02 Army game with 8035 Don Gates (RMC ’69). 

The 2000 team finally broke the 12 year winless streak with a convincing 3-0 win.

Over the past 10 years or so, Don, has traveled from his home in California to attend this annual classic whether it is played in Kingston or at West Point.  He plans to be at the game this year too! 

How can I write on just one memorable moment from a West Point contest there were so many between 1998 and 2002?  Well I would have to say that winning at home (’00) in Kingston and ending the 12 game no win streak really made the most memorable impression on me.  We not only won but Tom Connerty was outstanding in goal and we shut them out 3-0!   

There was a lot of pressure to win not only from the Officer Cadet side but also from the academic and military side.  Coach, Andy Scott had us very well prepared.  I will never forget the day or night for that matter (thanks Ex-Cadets) is was an amazing experience. 

22417 Mark Lachapelle (RMC ’02)

S125 Bill & S134 Rolande Oliver.   Ten years later, the secret is out!   

I've plenty of good memories of RMC / Army hockey games looking back now almost five decades (Yeah, I can see you all doin' the math--suffice it to say I was extremely young when I attended my first!)  The memory I get a kick out of the most is one from 1996.   I suppose, one could call it somewhat of a skylark.  

I had just “retired” from the CF the summer before and was in a bit of a career transition.  The “Redmen” had a good team that season; made the play-offs for the first time in 14 years since being back in the OUAA.  Jacques Tremblay would go on to win the CIAU coach of the year honours and the team had a number of excellent players: Chenette; Paul; Bodnar; Boucher; Boyd; Roach; Neufeld; Bronsard; Latinovich; Ellis and the superb goalie Chapleau just to name a few.  

Rolande and I arrived at the Kingston Memorial Centre about 45 minutes before game time – mostly to watch the pre-game warm-up.  As we entered the KMC, we recognized a couple of NHL scouts whose presence caught us somewhat by surprise.  We made eye contact with these two gentlemen, and after a couple of minutes of idle chatter, I could not resist asking what brought them to the game.  Scouts by nature are a pretty secretive bunch, but after looking around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, one of them answered, “we’re here on business”.  I inquired, “a player from RMC”?, to which he relied, “No, Army!”  Interest peaked, I had to press him further, “Mind if I ask which player?” He responded, “Actually, there are two, #7 & #11”.   

We finished the conversation, and Rolande and I proceeded to the seating area, where we found ourselves besieged by a sea of RMC supporters.  Many of these “fans” were not regular followers of the Redmen but were out to support the team during West Point Weekend.  Because of my background, they assumed I knew a lot about hockey.  A good many of them immediately asked me, “Who do you think will win”?  I turned facing the ice, glanced at the West Point team warming up, and in less then 15 seconds stated rather casually, “RMC should win: they have the better team, but if West Point double-shifts their Numbers 7 and 11, we're in for a rough ride---Army will beat them”.  "Just by looking at those two warm up, it's pretty obvious that they and the goalie are all RMC has to worry about!" (Rolande, my ever present accomplice-in-crime didn’t say a word!)  

Not surprisingly, #7 & # 11 controlled the play pretty much the whole game when they were on the ice. During the two intermissions, many of the fans we had spoken to before the game dropped by our seats to compliment us on our knowledge of the game.  The score ended 2-0 in favour of West Point.  Guess who had the two goals?  If you guessed #7 & #11, you’re right!  The two players were: Dan Hinote, who is still with the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and was with them when they won the Stanley Cup in 2001.  He only spent one year as a cadet at Army.  The other is Andy Lundbohm who is one of the All Time Top scorers from Army.  He scored 76 goals and accumulated 168 points over four seasons at Army.  He has been a professional hockey player since his days at Army and made it as far as the American Hockey League (AHL)

Rolande has been pleading with me for ten years to come clean.  My conscience is now clear and my secret is out.  If you were one of those fans back in ’96, please forgive me, I just couldn’t resist. 

S125 Bill Oliver