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1926–27 Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey season

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1926–27 Bowdoin Polar Bears
men's ice hockey season
ConferenceIndependent
Home iceDelta Rink
Record
Overall4–4–0
Home2–0–0
Road2–4–0
Coaches and captains
Head coachBen Houser
Captain(s)Clem Cole
Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey seasons
« 1925–26 1927–28 »

The 1926–27 Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey season was the 8th season of play for the program.

Season

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Bowdoin had a difficult time getting on the ice prior to the first game and was forced to find other methods to get ready for the season. Coach Houser had invented a training regimen that mixed football, soccer and basketball called "Houserball" that the team used to keep in shape.[1] The team lost several key members of last year's squad that it would find difficult to replace as three regulars from the freshman team (Rice, Howland and Clark) were ineligible until at least February.

The team opened with a practice game against the Westbrook Ramblers, hoping that the match would set them up for the beginning of the in-state series. However, due to the weakness of their opponent, Bowdoin didn't get much benefit out of the game. The Bears had their way with the Ramblers with goals from six different players. Sure enough, once the first game rolled around, the lack of practice and talent showed that the Polar Bears weren't up to their previous standard. Bowdoin was outplayed by Colby all game and were unable to withstand the physicality from the Mules, coming out on the short end of a 2–7 drubbing. Lord played a credible game in goal but he received little help from the defense.[2] The Bears were better in their next game and played New Hampshire close until the Wildcats pulled away with a pair near the end of the game. Lord was again the best player for the team, making 29 saves in the match.[3]

The Polar Bears played and exhibition match with Bates before heading south on a trip to Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Auditorium had opened the previous February and two college teams were immediately formed. Bowdoin earned a split against these inexperienced teams but the ice time did wonders for the Bears as they headed into the exam break. The team returned from the layoff with a rematch against Colby and played a much stronger game the second time around. The lineup had been rearranged in the interim with Cole and Walsh moving to wing while Thayer was shifted to center. Stone and Forsythe were now the starting defensive unit and they proved to be much more effecting in breaking up the Mules' attack. Playing on rough ice with snow falling around them, Bowdoin allowed just 1 goal to Colby at the very end of the game. The team was also buoyed by the first appearances of Howland, Parker and Dick Thayer's younger brother and the new arrivals helped carry the team to victory.[4] The following day, Bowdoin travelled to play off the series and the two fought through another defensive slug fest with no goals in regulation. Bowdoin finally broke the tie in the second overtime and eliminated Colby from championship contention.

The Bates series began the following week and Bowdoin's defense was again the strength of the team. Dick Thayer demonstrates a quickness that the Bears were sorely in need of but it wasn't enough to stop the Bobcats from taking the game.[5] A rematch was supposed to take place in Brunswick the following weekend, however, poor ice called the game to be cancelled and a return match was never held. The lone win by Bates was allowed to stand and enabled the Bobcats to win the state title.[6]

Calvin Hubbard served as team manager.

Roster

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No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team
Maine Paul S. Andrews Sophomore D 1907-01-19 Clinton, Maine
Massachusetts Gordon W. Bryant Junior D/C 1906-03-08 Boston, Massachusetts
Maine Clarence L. Cole (C) Senior D/LW 1905-06-28 Limington, Maine
Vermont J. Reginald Forsythe Senior D/F 1902-11-12 Middlebury, Vermont
Maine John D. Frates Sophomore C/LW/RW 1906-05-17 Portland, Maine
Massachusetts Winslow R. Howland Sophomore G 1906-07-17 Framingham, Massachusetts
Massachusetts John A. Lord Senior G 1904-08-18 Foxboro, Massachusetts
Maine James M. Parker Freshman RW 1908-03-31 Portland, Maine
Massachusetts Clark S. Sears Junior RW 1906-10-15 Danvers, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Stuart R. Stone Freshman D 1906-08-27 Newton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Harry B. Thayer Jr. Freshman RW 1907-11-08 Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Richard S. Thayer Junior C/LW 1905-10-31 Stoneham, Massachusetts
New Jersey Paul Tiemer Junior C 1905-06-11 Orange, New Jersey
Maine William L. Walsh Junior D/LW 1905-02-24 Lewiston, Maine
Maine Wendell Ward Sophomore RW 1907-06-23 Houlton, Maine

[7]

Standings

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Intercollegiate Overall
GP W L T Pct. GF GA GP W L T GF GA
Amherst 8 3 2 3 .563 9 9 8 3 2 3 9 9
Army 3 0 2 1 .167 5 13 4 0 3 1 7 20
Bates 7 3 3 1 .500 11 13 9 5 3 1 16 14
Boston College 6 3 3 0 15 18
Boston University 7 2 4 1 .357 25 18 8 2 5 1 25 23
Bowdoin 7 3 4 0 .429 12 17 8 4 4 0 21 18
Brown 8 4 4 0
Clarkson 9 8 1 0 .889 42 11 9 8 1 0 42 11
Cornell 7 1 6 0 .143 10 23 7 1 6 0 10 23
Dartmouth 15 11 2 2 68 20
Hamilton 10 6 4 0
Harvard 8 7 0 1 .938 32 9 12 9 1 2 44 18
Massachusetts Agricultural 7 2 4 1 .357 5 10 7 2 4 1 5 10
Middlebury 6 6 0 0
MIT 8 3 4 1 .438 19 21 8 3 4 1 19 21
New Hampshire 6 6 0 0 22 7
NYU
Princeton 13 5 7 1
Providence 8 1 7 0 13 39
Rensselaer 3 0 2 1
St. Lawrence 7 3 4 0
Syracuse
Union 5 3 2 0 .600 18 14 5 3 2 0 18 14
Vermont
Williams 12 6 6 0 .500 38 40 12 6 6 0 38 40
Yale 12 8 3 1 .708 72 26 16 8 7 1 80 45
YMCA College 7 3 4 0 .429 16 19 7 3 4 0 16 19

Schedule and results

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Date Opponent Site Result Record
Regular Season
January 6 Westbrook Ramblers* Delta RinkBrunswick, Maine W 9–1  1–0–0
January 8 at Colby* College Avenue Rink • Waterville, Maine L 2–7  1–1–0
January 12 at New Hampshire* UNH Ice RinkDurham, New Hampshire L 1–4  1–2–0
January 18 Bates* Delta RinkBrunswick, Maine (Exhibition) L 5–6 
January 21 at Providence* Rhode Island AuditoriumProvidence, Rhode Island W 4–1  2–2–0
January 22 at Brown* Rhode Island AuditoriumProvidence, Rhode Island L 1–2  2–3–0
February 11 Colby* Delta RinkBrunswick, Maine W 2–1  3–3–0
February 12 at Colby* College Avenue Rink • Waterville, Maine W 1–0 2OT 4–3–0
February 19 at Bates* Bartlett Street Rink • Lewiston, Maine L 1–2  4–4–0
*Non-conference game.

† Bates and Colby records indicate the first games with both as being exhibition matches. Bowdoin reported the Colby match as being an official game but did not mention the status of the Bates game. [8]

References

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  1. ^ "The Hockey Squad Has Four Veterans of Last Year". Bowdoin Orient. December 22, 1926. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "HOCKEY TEAM LOSES TO COLBY AT WATERVILLE". Bowdoin Orient. January 12, 1927. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "BOWDOIN LOSES GAME TO N. H. STATE". Bowdoin Orient. January 19, 1927. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  4. ^ "BOWDOIN ICEMEN DEFEAT COLBY BY A UNIT MARGIN". Bowdoin Orient. February 16, 1927. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  5. ^ "HOCKEY TEAM LOSES TO BATES SEXTETTE". Bowdoin Orient. February 23, 1927. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  6. ^ "'no title'". Bowdoin Orient. March 2, 1927. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  7. ^ "General Catalogue of Bowdoin College and the Medical School of Maine: A Biographical Record of Alumni and Officers, 1794-1950". Bowdoin College. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bowdoin Orient". Bowdoin Orient. Retrieved July 14, 2023.