Hockey fans are starting to grow fond of outdoor hockey games. Games are being played from the college level to the professional level. The National Hockey League has the Winter Classic and Heritage Classic. College has the Frozen Fenway, Cold War and Hockey Classic games. These games feature various U.S. College hockey programs squaring off against each other in various cities. For the second straight year Boston will host the Frozen Fenway.
The event is scheduled for Saturday January 7th 2012 in Boston’s historic Fenway Park. The games will feature four college teams from Hockey East. This year’s participants are the University of Vermont, UMass, New Hampshire, and Maine. The first game will be played at 4pm featuring a matchup between the University of Vermont and UMass. The night game is at 7pm, and New Hampshire and Maine will renew their rivalry. This year’s event will mark the second and third men’s hockey game played at Fenway Park. Last year’s game at Fenway Park was more of a local feel as Boston College and Boston University faced off against each other. This time it will be more regional action as other great college teams get in on the action.
These outdoor hockey games are a great way to showcase the players in the NCAA. With so many players leaving the United States to play in Canada, events like these will showcase the best college players in the game for a certain region. Not all the best college players reside in Hockey East. Other games have been played in the Midwest, another hotbed for college hockey. For the players and coaches, they know it will be a special opportunity to play in this game. Hockey East will be the ultimate winner if the event is a success.
The city of Boston is dubbing January 7, 2012 “Hockey Day in New England.” Prior to the games at Fenway Park, the Vancouver Canucks battle the Boston Bruins. That will be the first game the two teams will have played since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Many believe the games that day in Fenway will sell as quickly as the game between BC and BU. Sacrifices were made like with any event by all the parties. But Hockey East believes this event will allow fans to see another side of Hockey East, not just the Boston College-Boston University rivalry.
College hockey has played games like this in the past starting with the first “Cold War Game” in 2001 between Michigan and Michigan State. That game was played in East Lansing where the teams skated to a 3-3 tie. Last year, the two teams renewed their rivalry in front of 104,000 plus people in Michigan. The game was called “The Big Chill at the Big House.” Other games have taken place, but college hockey is something special as the fans really come out to support their favorite team. There is nothing like hockey played outdoors. These outdoor games take players back to their roots. ** **Fans should be glad the NCAA and the NHL are able to bring these games to us.