Arena quirks and other oddities

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

I had a rare treat Saturday night while my wife and I were visiting friends in Boston. We're both huge hockey fans, pro or college and our hosts met at the University of New Hampshire and love supporting their UNH Wildcats. Saturday UNH was playing the second of a home and home at Northeastern University's historic (Oldest arena still standing -- built in 1910 and the original home to the Bruins) Matthews Arena, home of the Huskies.

What a gem. Some oddly placed obstructed view seats, an upper deck that is so close to the action it practically hangs out over the ice, actual registers on the walls the keep the place warm and benches across the ice from each other. Unfortunately that quirkiness means it had about two small bathrooms.

I thought since we're waiting for the NHL talks to go somewhere we cold discuss quirks in hockey arenas both pro and college we liked or didn't. What makes a great cozy "barn" to play hockey in? What about the old egg shaped corners at the old Chicago Stadium et al.

Matthews Arena

OK, as for the quirks part of the topic. The game went to overtime last night tied 0-0. As the teams were getting ready for overtime we saw something we'd never seen before and fancy we never see it again. Before OT every guy in the upper deck at each end took off his shirt (the upper decks at both ends it should be noted stand the entire game). Couldn't believe our eyes. Another of those odd hockey traditions I suppose.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Jersey Wing

[VM1138 1,921]

That's awesome that they still use that barn. As a historian and a hockey fan, I love it when the two come together. Unfortunately, the only rink of any significance I've been to was the JLA, and we all know its quirks, namely the bathrooms and the "lively boards."

The other arenas I've been to are all fairly small (roughly 5,000 people I think) and new so they're pretty cookie cutter. I remember once when I was a kid I went to a Flint Generals game and I remember the arena being abnormally dark and dingy. But maybe that was because I was a kid and I'm remembering it wrong.

[GunnarStahl 39]

I can't say Michigan Tech's rink has any quirks, other than having steep seats that make you feel like you're on top of the ice, and the two benches are separated to one per side.

I used to skate at the "Oskar Dome" right outside Houghton. It's basically an outdoor rink with walls and a roof. No zamboni, no refrigerant to chill the ice, it's pretty cool. There are boards, but has chain link fence where the glass should be.

[miksteri 55]

The first artificial ice rink got build here in 1964, turned into a barn in 1971, known for being one the coldest barns in finland well into the late 80ies early 90ies and the ice surface had a slight tilt so the visiting teams had to play 2 periods skating "uphill" Todays surface is level. Atmosphere is peaked when HIFK or Lukko come to play.

Edited October 31, 2012 by miksteri

[Seraph 240]

I've been to a lot of NHL rinks, but I think the toughest building I've seen to play in was Lynah Rink at Cornell University. The school has a tradition of being a pressure cooker as far as academics go because the students come in there and give the competition hell for stress relief, it seems.

Here are some of the traditions, for a full list go here:

-The entire student body "reads" the newspaper while the away team is being introduced, chants "boring! boring!" and then throws the paper onto the ice.

-Chanting "sieve! sieve! It's all your fault!" to the goalie after he lets one by.

-Singing "Hey you suck!" instead of "Hey!" during Rock and Roll part 2.

-Shouting "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" while a player is skating to the sin bin, then "see ya a**hole! you goon" as they slam the door shut.

-If it's a blowout, in the final minutes of the game the crowd will all jingle their keys and chant "go start the bus."

When they play their biggest rival, Harvard, the crowd throws fish on the ice because "Harvard stinks." Another good story is that the crowd somehow obtained the opposition goalie's cell phone number and started chanting it during the first period. Then in the third, they started chanting his girlfriend's cell phone number. I bet they got a lot of "missed calls" from the student body that night, haha.

Introductions:

It won't let me post more than two videos, but you can see the

.

Sieve chant:

Rock and Roll, pt 2:

Edited October 31, 2012 by Seraph

[Marty Barry 230]

About a month after we came home from Somalia our unit got on busses and went south of Fort Drum to a dinner held for us at a little VFW. After that we boarded our busses and went to a game at West Point. There was a scrum and apparently the cadets aren't allowed to fight and the cadet was out for the rest of the game but the other guy played again. I guess it's the whole "officer and gentleman" thing, I don't know. I thought it was quirky, although I don't know anything about the college game or it's rules. The other team was Cannisius or however they spell it.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

The other team was Cannisius or however they spell it.

Canisius Golden Griffins.

My team is Saint Cloud State and here is our intro..

Didn't really find a good updated video of the goal but it's rock and roll part 2 and they say "Sieve You Suck". Cool part about it this year is when it's get to that part in the song they actually turn the music down so you can hear them chant loud and clear.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Attendance at sporting events should not be "clothing optional".

They still play Gary Glitter at games? Interesting. I guess some people haven't heard.