Game day: No. 4 CC vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Pregame notes:
1. Junior Eric Walsky will play tonight, despite injuring his right wrist Wednesday. Walsky skated briefly in a noncontact jersey toward the end of Thursday's practice with heavy tape on his wrist. Walsky will center the fourth line, so he'll only play about 12 minutes at most. But Walsky's presence means the Tigers will have a full lineup. I would have to guess that with center Chad Rau available Sunday against either UMass or No. 6 Notre Dame - UMass knocked off the Fighting Irish 4-3 in the first game - coach Scott Owens will give Walsky a rest.

2. Who is going to replace Cody Lampl? Owens liked to say that Lampl never had to score a point or dish an assist to make a contribution to the Tigers. Lampl's high-energy, big-hitting style of play reminded his teammates to finish their checks. But with Lampl suspended until January 2009 unless his appeal is successful, CC will have to find another way (or ways) to generate that same spark. Most are looking to left wing Scott McCulloch, but right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick said Thursday that it will have to be a collective effort.

3. Goalies tend to be a superstitious bunch, but goaltender Richard Bachman is excited to debut a new set of pads tonight. Instead of a metallic gold, these leg pads have a yellow gold that matches more closely that of the Tigers' uniform. Bachman said the equipment company rep delivered his pads to his house in Highlands Ranch just before Christmas and he started breaking them in during his week off. He prefers stiffer pads, so he said he's happy to have a new set midseason. As for the glove, Bachman has been working extra hard to break that in. "It's still a little stiff," he said.

4. CC practiced this morning at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, Fla., about 15 minutes from the team hotel.

Lines:
Colorado College
10 Thauwald--17 Johnson--23 Kilpatrick
26 McCulloch--19 Vlassopoulos--5 DeBoer
28 Schultz--9 McMillin--25 Testwuide
12 Quilico--22 Walsky--18 Overman

8 Hillen--15 Prosser
27 Wysopal--4 Gannon
11 Connelly--24 Lowery

30 Bachman
31 O'Connell
1 O'Brien

RPI
23 Colling--17 Lord--16 Klerer
15 Helfrich--8 Morissette--26 Contini
27 Uryadov--11 Kerins--21 Polacek
9 Ornelas--22 Angers-Goulet--10 Halpern

6 Merth--7 Foss
4 Brutlag--3 Jensen
12 Vassel--2 Burgdoerfer

31 Lange
1 Alford
25 Neubert