Ice Quality

[#44wannabe 4]

We dont even have plexi! And our slopes towards the boards at certain points and is lopsided etc. OOO and two of our thursday ice sessions in the last 3 weeks have been cancelled due to the zamboni breaking down

[moose77 0]

Everett Events Center, the Comcast rink at any rate, is top notch. The ice is well maintained, very hard. My only complaint is that the sheet is a little small. Everything else is great.

Just reffed on the main arena's ice at EEC, that stuff's like glass! The Comcast rink IMHO can get a bit warm on that side, plus it's quite humid. When I ref on that side, I constantly have to wipe down my visor during stoppages.

For the most part I like Olympicview but I agree about the size of the dressing rooms, including officials change room. I shouldn't complain because unlike EEC's Comcast rink, Olyview at least HAS an officials change room.

Did a game at Castle Ice last January and found it to have pretty good ice. Only my second time ever there, nice facility even if it is a little hard to get to.

I did my USA Hockey Officiating Seminar at Kent Valley last August because that date worked better for me than my local seminar in Bellingham. SUPER facility, thought the ice was just fine. Instead of the usual 1 hour ice time for our seminar, they had us on for a 2 hr session, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Nice place, wish it was a little closer to me!

I'll also add the Lynnwood Ice Center, as that place has a nice surface.

Now as for such places as Highland and Kingsgate, I won't comment for now. ;) My home rink, the Bellingham Sportsplex, has inconsistent conditions. Sometimes it's really fast and other times it's quite soft. They did put in a dehumidifier this year, and I really notice the drier air. I almost NEVER have to wipe my visor down there!

[shifter 0]

Best ice ever been to was in the summer for camps at canlan ice sports the ice is awesome!

[hockeymom 2]

My daughter played a game at the ACC - it was televised on LeafsTV during the lock-out (yes, they were THAT desperate for content...lol) What an awesome experience being in the dressing rooms and on that sheet of ice.

For regular arenas... hard to beat the "Beach Bubble" attached to Ted Reeve. The absolutely COLDEST arena in Toronto but great ice and great lighting.

[marc_9 0]

The Halifax Metro Centre....not my rink but i play in it sometimes. The ice is great

http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1mpt8.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=33ugc1.jpg

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Damn, thats a nice arena!!

Worst-

-Pallisades Mall arena...it's small, ice is shitty, it's so warm in the rink, zamboni is always broken, there are poles in the middle of the benches and also in the stands so you can't see the game.

-Some arena in Greenwhichn, CT. You can take a shot at the glass and it'll go crazy and end up in the middle of the crease.

Best-

-Red Bank Armory. Best ice ever! Very well maintained. Hard and fast ice, glass is cleaned all the time so it's very clear, nice size benches, only down side is the size of the locker rooms.

- Oswego community ice arena. Was just up there for states. Fast boards since they were brnad new and great ice, cold ice. A little small locker rooms and just bad buildings, the the baords and ice are great.

[tjl_48 0]

I was just visiting my brother and went to a stick and puck at pallisades. That place is horrible. Really small.

Best I played in is the Ralph Englestad. Very nice.

[epstud74 24]

I was just visiting my brother and went to a stick and puck at pallisades. That place is horrible. Really small.

Best I played in is the Ralph Englestad. Very nice.

Have you played at the other Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls?

[tjl_48 0]

Yeah. I play there quite a bit. I go to school in TRF. They have open skating from 8-3 during the week. When I have breaks I go over there and skate. If there is nobody else skating they let me take out a net and shoot. That is a nice rink to.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I was just visiting my brother and went to a stick and puck at pallisades. That place is horrible. Really small.

Try having to play there about 3 or 4 times a week :(

[epstud74 24]

Yeah. I play there quite a bit. I go to school in TRF. They have open skating from 8-3 during the week. When I have breaks I go over there and skate. If there is nobody else skating they let me take out a net and shoot. That is a nice rink to.

8 to 3?? Thats pretty good hours.. How old are you? You go to TRFHS?

[hockeyplyr814 0]

I personally like the CBJ practice rink...definitely the nicest one here. Goalies hate it though sometimes, cause I've had a few complain and say it was too cold and the slush around the crease froze over before the swept it out and it turned into ridges. Generally all The Chiller rinks have pretty decent ice, except the oldest building in Dublin. That place sucks, ice is soft and you get fog and condensation on the glass when it isn't winter.

Dublin by far has the best ice of all the Chillers, at least rink 1. Easton is ok, but it's a little soft, and North is terrible. But the best in Columbus is either the Ice Hause or the fairgrounds.

[tjl_48 0]

That would stink playing in that place 3-4 times a week. I don't know if there is a back entrance, but it is kind of wierd carrying your hockey stuff through the mall.

I'm 19. I live in EGF and drive the 40 min to the TRF tech college. There open hours were really nice. I think they are getting rid of there ice soon if they haven't already. Now I have to do school work during my breaks.

[GSHL99 0]

Just reffed on the main arena's ice at EEC, that stuff's like glass! The Comcast rink IMHO can get a bit warm on that side, plus it's quite humid. When I ref on that side, I constantly have to wipe down my visor during stoppages.

I played with Andy Cole's team during the last GSHL/Tips deal where we have two or three games before the Tips games. That was some fast nice, made Key Arena's ice look terrible. Of course it was hotter than hell in there. During the second period I had to take off my shoulder pads.

For the most part I like Olympicview but I agree about the size of the dressing rooms, including officials change room. I shouldn't complain because unlike EEC's Comcast rink, Olyview at least HAS an officials change room.

When 15 guys show up we usually have to resort to changing in shifts, otherwise there's no space. I can't imagine what some of these youth teams do with an 18-20 player roster plus two goalies.

Did a game at Castle Ice last January and found it to have pretty good ice. Only my second time ever there, nice facility even if it is a little hard to get to.

It is a bit off the beaten path, Jamie Huscroft does a great job running the place. That St. Pat's day tourny they hosted was great.

I'll also add the Lynnwood Ice Center, as that place has a nice surface.

Now as for such places as Highland and Kingsgate, I won't comment for now. ;) My home rink, the Bellingham Sportsplex, has inconsistent conditions. Sometimes it's really fast and other times it's quite soft. They did put in a dehumidifier this year, and I really notice the drier air. I almost NEVER have to wipe my visor down there!

Never skated at Lynnwood. Kingsgate is, well, a dump. Not to mention the strangest Zamboni doors I've ever seen. Heard too many horror stories about Highland to want to skate up there.

[Lfntn10 0]

I was just visiting my brother and went to a stick and puck at pallisades. That place is horrible. Really small.

Try having to play there about 3 or 4 times a week :(

Who do you play for?

[Jarick 5]

I played over at Braemar for a few years, that's got good ice. I've been meaning to check out Bloomington as well.

Haven't played many places, but the St. Thomas Arena has some pretty decent ice. Not terribly cold but it's a good rink and they do a good job resurfacing.

I've got a chance to play at the XCel next week, so I'm pretty sure that would be the best ice around here :P

[Neal 41]

I've got a chance to play at the XCel next week, so I'm pretty sure that would be the best ice around here :P

You'd think so, but not in the couple times I skated there. The one time the ice was so bad it was dangerous. I think if you get one of the guys who runs the Zamboni for the Wild games you'll get good ice, but if those guys are off, the ice will be bad.

[DamnLocust 0]

Speaking of playing in pro arenas- I played a game at Nassau Coliseum last year.

The ice is better at the Isles practice facility than it is at the Coliseum. I've actually heard of Isles complaining that the ice at the practice facility is too good, and it messes up their game at the Mausoleum.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I was just visiting my brother and went to a stick and puck at pallisades. That place is horrible. Really small.

Try having to play there about 3 or 4 times a week :(

Who do you play for?

The Clarkstown Capitals.

[greech 4]

The rink here has ok ice. It's not great, but not bad, and it's pretty consistant. Its funny though, other teams complain because the temperature fluctuates depending on who we play. The rink manager's theory is that if we're playing a team that we can't skate with (only twice in my career has he done this), he turns the temp up a bit so its 'slower.' Most other teams it goes down so its fast and hard and we can skate faster.

[GSHL99 0]

That's not really logical, if it slows the other team down because the ice is softer and the fatigue is greater it's doing the same thing to you. So any advantage they had on faster ice they retain. Also, I'm fairly certain intentionally changing the ice conditions might qualify as cheating with the hockey association/league in question.

[big ben 0]

for south texas, actually pretty good, i guess beggars can't be choosers.

[greech 4]

That's not really logical, if it slows the other team down because the ice is softer and the fatigue is greater it's doing the same thing to you. So any advantage they had on faster ice they retain. Also, I'm fairly certain intentionally changing the ice conditions might qualify as cheating with the hockey association/league in question.

Yeah you're right, it doesn't really make sense. I heard some other team's coaches talking about it one time, didn't believe them but sometimes for the big games it feels faster.

[DamnLocust 0]

Playing on a home rink with soft ice can give you an advantage IF you sharpen your skates accordingly.

[chippa13 1844]

That's not really logical, if it slows the other team down because the ice is softer and the fatigue is greater it's doing the same thing to you. So any advantage they had on faster ice they retain. Also, I'm fairly certain intentionally changing the ice conditions might qualify as cheating with the hockey association/league in question.

If a team's game is predicated on speed then bad ice is the great equalizer.