It's been a while and the details are rather fuzzy, but...
 
The Big Red Freakout at RPI is the one give-away game of the year.  A couple of
years before I was there (around '85, I think) they handed out plastic horns.
The game was against Brown.  The Brown coach was so upset at the amount of noise
in the Feildhouse that he got the infamous "RPI rule" enacted.  This rule states
something to the effect of "no artificial noisemakers shall be used by any
person attending a NCAA event during the course of play."  Notice how none of
the pep bands play once the puck is dropped.
 
Anyway, that was just a precursor to the best (and shortest) hockey game I've
ever seen...
 
Freakout '89 was once again against Brown.  I was a sophomore at the time with
my season ticket half way up, right on the RPI blue line.  That year someone, in
their infinite wisdom, decided that the give-away should be hard plastic
megaphones.  Well, it was a great game, 2-2 I think mid way through the third
period.  During a pileup in the corner, a small shoving match erupted.  Not
exactly a fight, as we all know there is no fighting in college hockey ;-)
After the refs sorted it out, RPI came away with a two minute power play.  The
Brown coach was furious and was yelling at the ref. Needless to say, the RPI
fans were not amused, and showed their displeasure by throwing the megaphones on
the ice.  Guess what happens when thin, hard plastic impacts solid ice?  Yep,
shatter city!  It took a good 20 minutes to clean it all up.  Once the game
resumed, RPI scored on that power play to make it 3-2.  This time in joyfulness,
more megaphones found their way to the ice surface.  Another 15 minutes later
(and after a lot more yelling from the Brown coach), the game resumed.
 
With less than a minute left, Brown pulled the goalie.  RPI scored the empty net
clincher with :02 showing on the clock.  The crowd went nutso!  The Brown coach
came on to the ice to yell at the ref.  The leftover megaphones were flying
everywhere. Those that didn't shatter on impact were helped by a few RPI sticks.
One megaphone actually hit the Brown coach in the head!  (They were very light,
no damage.)  At this point, the Brown coach took his team off the ice and into
the locker room.  RPI had a 4-2 59:58 Freakout victory!
 
Ever since, Freakout givaways just haven't been the same, but they seem to
always find the ice in the third period...8-)
 
Anyone remember the details any better?  Who scored the last two goals?
 
Dave / RPI '91
LET'S GO RED!!