Listen Live Stats
Take a look at what people were saying on social media before and after UMass Lowell's Frozen Fenway Practice! Jan. 10, 2013!Â
It's the place children dream about; Fenway Park.
Dreams get altered just a bit Saturday when 8
th ranked UMass Lowell (14-5-2 overall / 4-2-0 in Hockey East) battles number 16 Northeastern University (12-6-2 /5-4-1), at 12 noon, at the home of the baseball world champions.
The game will be broadcast on the ESPN River Hawk Radio Network; ESPN 900 AM (
www.espnnh.com), ESPN 1250 AM, WSMN 1590 AM and WCAP 980 AM (
www.980wcap.com). The game will also be broadcast, on tape delay, by NESN following the completion of the day's scheduled second game between Boston University and Maine.
"I did dream about playing baseball, not hockey, here, that's for sure," said UMass Lowell senior right wing
Derek Arnold (Foxboro, Mass.) "Growing up we'd play whiffle ball around the neighborhood and you always pretended to be Manny Ramirez hitting one over the green monster."
Arnold has spent many a summer day watching from the grandstands, now he, finally, gets an opportunity to be on the field, albeit on skates.
"I love it," said Arnold after Friday's River Hawk practice at the ballyard. "I haven't played outdoors in years; this is as good as it gets."
Arnold and his teammates got the opportunity to drink in the surroundings and allow a flood of memories during a nearly hour long practice at Fenway.
"It's very unique," says senior Captain
Josh Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.) "This place has a lot of tradition and to be able to put an (ice) rink in the middle of it and have us play out here is very special."
Holmstrom, remembering his days on frozen lakes and ponds in Colorado, described the outdoor practice as "awesome, getting to move around out there, take in the sights, is something you don't forget."
For junior defenseman
Jake Suter (Lac du Flambeau, Wisc.) playing outdoors is nothing new.
"We'd playing outside all the time," said Suter. "My dad would make a rink for us and the whole family would get out there."
Suter sees the experience as multi-sensory.
"It may sound weird, It feels different," said Suter. "When I stepped out the sound the ice makes is different. Seeing your breath all the time just makes you think you're on a lake back home just playing some pond hockey."
Though not a New Englander head coach
Norm Bazin appreciates the local passion for the 100 year old ballpark.
"This is where they won the world championship," said Bazin. "It's historic; it's such a great place to have a hockey game. It's really terrific, it's nostalgic; a great opportunity for our kids."
The coach remembers playing outdoors as a youth in Manitoba.
"This is where it started," said Bazin. "This is the roots of hockey. This is where the 'funnest' hockey was played; we're excited to be here.
It may be about fun, and the roots of the game but it's a Hockey East conference game and there are two points on the line.
Northeastern won the first meeting between the two teams, 4-2, back in early November. UMass Lowell has gone 9-1-1 since that game and leads the all time series 57-41-8.
The Huskies have been hot, they have lost only once in their last ten games (6-1-3.)
After the Fenway visit, the River Hawks return home for two games next weekend at the Tsongas Center. Friday they host Boston University and Saturday Maine provides the opposition.
Tickets for all River Hawks home hockey games are on sale now. Game tickets are $18 ($19 day of game) for adults and $12 ($13 day of game) for seniors (65+) and children (12 and under). UMass Lowell students receive free admission by scanning their ID as part of the
Mission: All In campaign.
Tickets can be purchased at the Tsongas Center Box Office, which is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. during the week. Fans can also purchase tickets online at TsongasCenter.com or by calling 866-722-8780.
The UMass Lowell Athletic Department is also selling season, mini-pack and group tickets at this time. Packages can be purchased online at TsongasCenter.com or by contacting Andrew Ralph (
andrew_ralph@uml.edu; 978-934-2181) or Joe Fellini (
joseph_fellini@uml.edu; 978-934-5751).
