The pond hockey that I witnessed reminded me so much of the pickup basketball games one sees in the summertime at Delaware Park right by the Buffalo Zoo. Right after one team scores, the other team immediately advances towards the other goal, without a faceoff at center ice. The nets seem as wide as a regulation hockey game, six feet across, but the nets are only six inches tall, and the game is played without any goalies, four players to a side, two fifteen-minute periods of running time making a game. The rink boundaries are set by miniature mounds of snow. The puck sometimes goes out of play, then the other team puts the puck back into play, with no time-consuming faceoffs as well.
(These ladies came to play)
Food and drinks are available at a nominal charge, including some of my friends’ favorite beverage…Red Bull. Also available is Labatt’s Blue Beer, the sponsor of this 64 team tournament. The sun is just rising now, yet James Pendegraft, President, and Dave Grohusko, Brand Manager of Labatt are taking in the sights. Thank you Labatt for moving your headquarters to downtown Buffalo! Also thanks to Mary Beth Popp, Director of Brand Public Relations at Eric Mower and Associates, for her hospitality and giving me a heads-up on events going on.
(Former Buffalo Sabres Grant Ledyard moving the puck out of his zone.)
The ladies enjoyed playing here as well. I never realized the ladies’ hockey contingent was so big in Western New York. I also had the honor of seeing former National Hockey League Buffalo Sabres teammates participating: Grant Ledyard and Craig Muni.
(Former Sabre Craig Muni, on the move)
The teams have names like Zamboni Hags and Gang Green, Polar Bears and Ring Rats, the Icy North and Rusty Blades. One wonders what an Ice Road Pucker is. Such clever teams names!
(Pond Hockey rink layout on Lake Erie)
The deep January freeze is finally over, what a beautiful day it is turning out to be. Pond Hockey is yet another reason that makes Buffalo in winter so special.