Home Ice

What are the parameters of acceptable ice-surface temperature during a college ice-hockey game? Are these measurements made at required intervals or at the discretion of the home rink?

osorojo
What are the parameters of acceptable ice-surface temperature during a college ice-hockey game? Are these measurements made at required intervals or at the discretion of the home rink?

The NCAA rule book does not have any objective criteria.

1.1
Rink - Ice hockey shall be played on an area of ice called a rink.

It's totally up to the referee.

82.5
...
If, at any time during the course of the game, a referee believes that the playing conditions or the conditions among the players and/or spectators have become unsatisfactory, the referee may stop the game. If a game is suspended,...

Rule 90.2 addresses switching ends in the middle of a period if "ice conditions are more favorable to play at one end of the rink than at the other".

David Harding
The NCAA rule book does not have any objective criteria.

The cynic that I am, leads me to believe that rink operators may adjust the ice quality to offset the skating characteristics of the visiting team. In baseball, the infield grass is cut to favor the home team, if you bunt a lot, keep it long.

George64

David Harding
The NCAA rule book does not have any objective criteria.

The cynic that I am, leads me to believe that rink operators may adjust the ice quality to offset the skating characteristics of the visiting team. In baseball, the infield grass is cut to favor the home team, if you bunt a lot, keep it long.

Absolutely.

George64

David Harding
The NCAA rule book does not have any objective criteria.

The cynic that I am, leads me to believe that rink operators may adjust the ice quality to offset the skating characteristics of the visiting team. In baseball, the infield grass is cut to favor the home team, if you bunt a lot, keep it long.

From "The Poison Ivy in the Ivy League," Sports Illustrated, January 2, 1967:

Harkness' boys at RPI tended to be slower than a lot of other teams, and it seemed that whenever a really fast-skating team came up to Troy the arena would get terribly warm, so warm that the ice often became soft and slushy. At RPI they said it was probably only coincidence or a faulty thermostat, but the soft ice did serve wonderfully well to slow fast skaters down to RPI speed. (There were a few smiles visible at rinkside this year when Cornell's fast-skating outfit played its second game of the season against RPI at Troy and Visiting Coach Harkness complained about the excessive heat.)

That SI article is priceless!

randyranger
That SI article is priceless!

Sadly, reading this article is a reminder of what a great magazine SI once was and how it's a shell of itself now.

dbilmes

randyranger
That SI article is priceless!

Sadly, reading this article is a reminder of what a great magazine SI once was and how it's a shell of itself now.

Sadly, as of a few days ago, it's less than a shell of itself.

Swampy

From "The Poison Ivy in the Ivy League," Sports Illustrated, January 2, 1967:

Harkness' boys at RPI tended to be slower than a lot of other teams, and it seemed that whenever a really fast-skating team came up to Troy the arena would get terribly warm, so warm that the ice often became soft and slushy. At RPI they said it was probably only coincidence or a faulty thermostat, but the soft ice did serve wonderfully well to slow fast skaters down to RPI speed. (There were a few smiles visible at rinkside this year when Cornell's fast-skating outfit played its second game of the season against RPI at Troy and Visiting Coach Harkness complained about the excessive heat.)

I skated at Lynah regularly. Before Ned came to Cornell, the doors of both players benches were kept closed with sliding dead bolts that could be difficult to open. Ned had them replaced with the kind of latches that are found on walk-in freezers, but only for the Cornell bench.

George64

Swampy

From "The Poison Ivy in the Ivy League," Sports Illustrated, January 2, 1967:

Harkness' boys at RPI tended to be slower than a lot of other teams, and it seemed that whenever a really fast-skating team came up to Troy the arena would get terribly warm, so warm that the ice often became soft and slushy. At RPI they said it was probably only coincidence[url=https://youtu.be/atVyejTMEH4?si=qIudwFw1_wQelVQg]hockey barns[/url] or a faulty thermostat, but the soft ice did serve wonderfully well to slow fast skaters down to RPI speed. (There were a few smiles visible at rinkside this year when Cornell's fast-skating outfit played its second game of the season against RPI at Troy and Visiting Coach Harkness complained about the excessive heat.)

I skated at Lynah regularly. Before Ned came to Cornell, the doors of both players benches were kept closed with sliding dead bolts that could be difficult to open. Ned had them replaced with the kind of latches that are found on walk-in freezers, but only for the Cornell bench.

Interesting video about old college hockey barns. Brief mention of Cornell and Mike. BTW, it mentions rinks with chicken wire at the ends and no fan protection along the sideboards. That was Lynah before Ned, but we had nothing to worry about as there were few fans.

Interesting. Focused all on the middle west and then Poulin, out of nowhere, starts talking ECAC-RPI, Cornell, Princeton with the nice Schafer shoutout. No mention of Hockey East rinks at all. Odd

George64

George64

Swampy

From "The Poison Ivy in the Ivy League," Sports Illustrated, January 2, 1967:

Harkness' boys at RPI tended to be slower than a lot of other teams, and it seemed that whenever a really fast-skating team came up to Troy the arena would get terribly warm, so warm that the ice often became soft and slushy. At RPI they said it was probably only coincidence[url=https://youtu.be/atVyejTMEH4?si=qIudwFw1_wQelVQg]hockey barns[/url] or a faulty thermostat, but the soft ice did serve wonderfully well to slow fast skaters down to RPI speed. (There were a few smiles visible at rinkside this year when Cornell's fast-skating outfit played its second game of the season against RPI at Troy and Visiting Coach Harkness complained about the excessive heat.)

I skated at Lynah regularly. Before Ned came to Cornell, the doors of both players benches were kept closed with sliding dead bolts that could be difficult to open. Ned had them replaced with the kind of latches that are found on walk-in freezers, but only for the Cornell bench.

Interesting video about old college hockey barns. Brief mention of Cornell and Mike. BTW, it mentions rinks with chicken wire at the ends and no fan protection along the sideboards. That was Lynah before Ned, but we had nothing to worry about as there were few fans.

What I remember from the late 50's and early 60's was a mesh as heavy as a chain link fence at the ends. One game several players crashed into at once and the edge popped out of the frame. A couple of adults and one kid (me) held it up for while. And yes, nothing above the boards on the sides. A couple of times players almost landed in my lap.