1927–28 Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey season

Men's ice hockey March 2026 August 2023 color:white; background:#000000 white white Bowdoin Polar Bears white 1927–28 250 Bowdoin Polar Bears men NCAA Division I independent schools (ice hockey) Independent 4–5–0 2–3–0 2–2–0 Ben Houser Dick Thayer Delta Rink 1926–27 1928–29 Bowdoin Polar Bears #FFFFFF background:#eeeeee; The 1927–28 Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey season was the 9th season of play for the program. Season Just after Thanksgiving, the team met for the first time. Coach Houser had a sizable contingent of men trying out for the team led by captain Dick Thayer.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s LARGE SQUAD OUT FOR HOCKEY TEAM Bowdoin Orient November 30, 1927 July 14, 2023 While the rink was being rebuilt, the team played 'Houserball' to get in shape. New equipment for 12 men was ordered and set a goal for the 46 candidates. In addition to Houserball, coach Houser had the boys playing 'tag hockey'. Because ice was not yet available, the prospective players broke up into groups of six and arranged themselves on a field in the same formation that they would on the ice. A football was used in lieu of a puck to demonstrate the passing, movements and arrangement of players that they should understand once the Bears got onto the ice. While the team was training, the school also set about addressing an issue with the rink. Floodlight had been used in the past few years for night games, however, this caused glare to reflect off of the surface and into the players' eyes. To alleviate this problem, additional lighting was place over the rink.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s LARGE NUMBER OF CANDIDATESREPORT FOR HOCKEY PRACTICE Bowdoin Orient December 7, 1927 July 14, 2023 Due to the increasing popularity of the sport, the student council called for a referendum from the student body to vote on whether ice hockey would be made a major sport.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s STUDENT REFERENDUM ON HOCKEY QUESTION IS CALLED FOR JAN. 5 Bowdoin Orient December 14, 1927 July 14, 2023 Bates and Colby, the two in-state rivals for Bowdoin, had already adopted ice hockey as a major sport and there was an urgency from some quarters for the Polar Bears not to fall behind.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s Communication Bowdoin Orient December 22, 1927 July 14, 2023 After returning home from the winter break, the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of hockey being a major sport. By a count of 282 in favor and 32 against, the program was promoted to major status, joining the football, baseball and track programs. With the huge support it was hoped that the effort to secure an indoor rink would soon be adopted by the school but those plays were only in their planning stages.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s HOCKEY IS VOTED AS MAJOR SPORT Bowdoin Orient January 11, 1928 July 14, 2023 While receiving the good news, the team had been getting themselves arranged and were set for a busy opening week. A lack of ice time showed in their opening game of the season when they travelled down to Boston to take on Boston University. The Terriers got off to a quick start and score twice in the first three minutes. Dick and his younger brother Bob were the best Bowdoin could offer in the match, with Bob scoring twice, but they could never catch BU.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s BOWDOIN PUCKSTERS DROP INITIAL GAME TO B. U. BY 5 TO 2 Bowdoin Orient January 18, 1928 July 14, 2023 The two succeeding games had to be postponed due to a lack of ice but the weather cooled down enough over the weekend to allow the first match with Bates to be held. Bowdoin was still hampered by a lack of teamwork and were unable to penetrate the Bobcat defense for large stretches of the game. They picked up the pace in the middle frame, managing to get 14 shots on goal, but the puck refused to enter the Garnet cage. Bates was able to score once in each period while the Polar Bears' only marker from Rice came with just 2 minutes left in the match. Bowdoin hit the road for the next game and faced one of the best teams in the nation. Despite their lack of practice time, Yale took no pity on Bowdoin and hammered the Bears 0–8.https://ydnhistorical.library.yale.edu/?a=d&d=YDN19280119-01.2.12&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- BOWDOIN SEXTET BOWS TO UNIVERSITY PLAYERS Yale Daily News January 19, 1928 July 14, 2023 Bowdoin returned home for their final match of the first half and played a much closer contest with New Hampshire. The two were tied for much of the game but the WIldcats were able to pull out a victory on a late third period goal.https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1744&context=tnh_archive Three Wins For Varsity Hockey The New Hampshire January 26, 1928 July 14, 2023 After ending the first half of their season without a win, Bowdoin needed a break to address their issues. After some hard work and fortunate ice time, the Polar Bears returned triumphantly by sandwiching a pair of wins over Colby around a second loss to Boston University. In their first game back, the lineup was altered, moving Rice and Bob Thayer to wing while allowing Stone and Rice to take over on defense. A strong third period saw Bowdoin score three goals to take a commanding lead that they would ride to their first win of the year.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s HOCKEY TEAM WINS TWO BUT Bowdoin Orient January 18, 1928 July 14, 2023 Bowdoin then played Acadia, their first game against a Canadian college, and doubled their win total. They weren't able to keep the winning streak alive as BU arrived in town to repeat the earlier match the following night. A few days after losing the rematch with BU, Bowdoin got off to a poor start against the Mules by allowing two goals in the first 6 minutes. Howland buckled down afterwards and refused to allow any more to Colby. His superlative goaltending enabled the Bears to tie the match before the period was out and then take a lead with two goals less than 5 minutes into the second. With a 2-goal lead, Bowdoin played a defensive game for the rest of the match and were content to lob the puck down into the Mules' end. The second win gave Bowdoin a shot at the state championship. Because Colby had twice defeated Bates previously, Bowdoin was sitting atop the standings and a win over the Garnet would give the title outright. Because a match with MIT was cancelled due to warm weather next game ended up being against Bates for the title.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s 'no title' Bowdoin Orient February 29, 1928 July 14, 2023 The two teams ended up in a goaltending battle with Howland matching the Bobcat netminder, Violette, save for save. Near the end of the second, reserve player Parker got the puck out of a scrimmage in front of the Garnet cage and lifted it into the top corner of the net. It was Parker's only goal of the season and it turned into the biggest score for the Polar Bears as it won them the title.https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=bowdoinorient-1920s BOWDOIN SEXTET CAPTURES 1928 MAINE HOCKEY TITLE Bowdoin Orient February 22, 1928 July 14, 2023 Roster yes Gordon W. Bryant sr C/RW 1906 3 8 USA Boston, Massachusetts yes Basil S. Dwyer fr C/LW 1910 4 8 USA Hebron, Maine yes Winslow R. Howland jr G 1906 7 17 USA Framingham, Massachusetts yes James M. Parker so D/RW 1908 3 31 USA Portland, Maine yes Edward W. Rayner so C/LW 1907 5 21 USA Newton, Massachusetts yes Parker H. Rice jr D/LW 1906 11 3 USA Cambridge, Massachusetts yes Clark S. Sears sr LW 1906 10 15 USA Danvers, Massachusetts yes Stuart R. Stone so D 1906 8 27 USA Newton, Massachusetts yes Harry B. Thayer Jr. so D/RW 1907 11 8 USA Boston, Massachusetts yes Richard S. Thayer sr C 1905 10 31 USA Stoneham, Massachusetts yes C Paul Tiemer sr LW/RW 1905 6 11 USA Orange, New Jersey yes William L. Walsh sr D/C 1905 2 24 USA Lewiston, Maine yes https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=bowdoin-histories General Catalogue of Bowdoin College and the Medical School of Maine: A Biographical Record of Alumni and Officers, 1794-1950 Bowdoin College July 5, 2023 Standings BOW Schedule and results no |- !colspan=12 style="Bowdoin Polar Bears #FFFFFF;" | Regular Season January 12 l yes yes no Boston University Boston Arena Boston, Massachusetts 2–5 0–1–0 January 16 l yes no Bates Delta Rink Brunswick, Maine 1–3 0–2–0 January 18 l yes yes no Yale New Haven Arena New Haven, Connecticut 0–8 0–3–0 January 21 l yes no New Hampshire Delta Rink Brunswick, Maine 1–2 0–4–0 February 7 w yes yes no Colby Colby Rink Waterville, Maine 5–2 1–4–0 February 10 w yes no Acadia Delta Rink Brunswick, Maine 4–1 2–4–0 February 11 l yes no Boston University Delta Rink Brunswick, Maine 2–5 2–5–0 February 13 w yes no Colby Delta Rink Brunswick, Maine 4–2 3–5–0 February 21 w yes yes no Bates Bartlett Street Rink Lewiston, Maine 1–0 4–5–0 no no † 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. https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=bowdoinorient-1920s Bowdoin Orient Bowdoin Orient July 14, 2023 References 50em Category:Bowdoin Polar Bears men's ice hockey seasons Bowdoin Bowdoin Bowdoin